Red All Over
by Pinkiee Pie Kelsey
Summary: A young girl's entire family is murdered by Red John, leaving her alone and unhurt. Lisbon's CBI team is helping look after Melody after the murder, and guess what they find out *I suck at summaries,, but please read and review?* *NOWFINISHED*
1. Chapter 1

**Alrightly... First Mentalist fic ever, in fact, I only started watching The Mentalist a matter of about a week ago and I'm almost all the way done season two, three episodes if I'm not mistaken. Anyway, review please and whatever else people do on here... Tell me if you like the angle, ect., ect., And yea...**

**Also! I don't own the Mentalist, although I wish I did because then Red John would be dead, Rigsby and Van Pelt could date, and Lisbon and Jane would get together. I only own the plot and Melody Boone... And her now dead family.**

**Chapter One;;;**

Screaming. Screaming and cry's of pain. That's what Melody Boone was hearing, all she was hearing. The small 15 year old blond stood scared stiff with the base ball bat in her hands, her knuckles turning white from gripping the thing so hard. She took a few deep breaths, and opened her door. She had to try and save her family, right?

She didn't see any one right there, but she knew they were there. She knew it; She had a feeling they wanted her to come after them, but, not to kill her. Why was that? She shook the feeling off, and took a few tentative steps forward, the base ball bat held in front of her body, ready to hit whoever it was. Then the screaming stopped; Trailed off into eerily silence. Swallowing, Melody took a few more steps forward, slowly putting her hand on Elizabeth, her sisters, door knob.

"Lizabeth?" She asked, pushing the door open. She set her base ball bat down by the door, where it normally ended up after practice. "Lizabeth, are you awake?" She slowly walked into the room.

There on the wall was a red smiley face, drawn in blood. Elizabeth Anne Boone's blood. She backed out of the room, and towards her parents. She would never get the picture of her little sister all sliced up out of her mind.

"Momma? Daddy?" She asked, pushing her parents door open, seeing the same scene. Her father was on the floor, his throat slit. Her mother half way across the bed, looking like she was going for her father, her throat slit and a gun shot in her chest. A red smiley on the wall above the bed, in Jesse and Anne Boone's blood. Her eyes grew wide as she backed out of the room, running into a wall. She fumbled around in the pocket of her house coat, for her cell phone, she had to call 911. Her family was just murdered, and she had slept through most of it, and she was unharmed. Why? Why them and not her?

"911, where is your emergency?" Came a voice out of the phone she hadn't even realized she had pressed against her ear.

"Uh..." Melody struggled to remember the name of the road and address of the house she had lived in for the past 4 years. "124 Summertime Road, Sacramento." She stuttered out, scared and confused again.

"Can you tell me what happened?" The man asked her, as she heard commotion in the back ground.

"I-I woke up because I heard my sister screaming, and then it stopped. I went to check on her, and she was dead. Her throat's cut up, and there's a red smiley face drawn above her. The same thing with my parents." She checked out.

"Damn it, Greg. Call CBI, Red John struck again." She heard the man say, covering the phone with his hand while he did so. "Everything's going to be okay, the CBI will be there really soon. Now, are you okay?"

"I'm going to have to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind," Agent Lisbon asked the young blonde. Melody nodded. She was still in her room, only Lisbon and Jane were with Melody, Van Pelt, Rigsby, and Cho were in Elizabeth's room at the moment.

"Yea. Yea, of course." Melody said, nodding still a little. Jane looked around the rather large room, a colourful rather large room.

"Very nice room," Jane said, looking back over at the blonde.

"Uh... Thanks," Melody muttered, looking confused from Jane to Lisbon.

"Jane, leave the poor girl alone," Lisbon glared at the man, and then looked back at Melody. "What did you hear when you woke up?" Lisbon asked, Jane going back to looking around the room.

"I hear Lizabeth screaming, I freaked out, and grabbed my base ball bat -"

"You had a base ball bat in here?" Jane asked, turning around, a small amused smile slipping onto his face.

"I play base ball at my school," She said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "What are you doing anyway?" She asked, brushing a ringlet out of her face.

"Uh, just waiting for Lisbon to finish up questioning you," He said, the same way.

"Jane." Lisbon turned around facing her consultant. "Leave. Now." She pointed towards the door.

"I'm going, I'm going," He muttered, "I'll probably see you around, Melody." Smiling at him, he left the room.

"I'm sorry about him, he's an idiot sometimes." Lisbon said, still livid with Jane.

"It's okay." Melody muttered, rubbing her eyes.

"Did you see any one? When you came out of your room?" Lisbon looked back over at Melody.

"No, I had a feeling whoever was there wanted me to come out and see... Everything, but I don't know." Melody's voice trailed off as Jane came back into the room.

"Hah! She sounds like me," Jane said, smiling at the confused girl.

"What are you talking about?" Melody asked, tilting her head to the side. Jane smirked, Lisbon staring at him like he was insane.

"Your name is Melody Jessica Boone, you have a younger sister name Elizabeth Anne Boone. Your birthday is August, 1st. Your only fifteen, but you want to be a cop when you grow up, oh, not a cop, a CBI agent, or something like that." Jane said, stepping into the room, behind Lisbon. "You miss your three best friends, and wish you could see them again. You like music, rock music mostly, and you like to write as a hobby. How was that? Spot on?" He asked.

Melody looked the man over, raising an eye brow. She cracked a smile, glad she had even the smallest distraction.

"Nearly. But, I have pictures of my friends on my desk, song lyrics from well know rock bands on the walls, and stories posted all over the place." She said matter-of-factly, nodding at the wall next to her. "My birthday is on the calendar, and it says it's my 16th birthday. My full name is easy to get, you're a cop." She muttered the last part. Lisbon laughed, a small smile on her face.

"You'll have to excuse Jane, he doesn't seem to know when to shut up," Lisbon said, punching him in the arm. Melody smiled at the two.

"It's okay, Jenna never knew when to shut up either, we used to be up until five o'clock in the morning talking at sleepovers and texting at home," She said, her smile drooping a little at the thought of Jenna, which made her think of Becca and Tara, too. And Liam and Rae.

"Hey," Jane said, kneeling down in front of her bed, "It's okay to miss them, it's a part of life. Just like death; Your born, you live, you die. Some people chose to kill other's, and those people tend to have a reason for it," He said, a sincere smile on his face, replacing the smirk that had been there a moment before.

"Lisbon," Came another voice through the door, a female voice. "Cho wants you... Hi," She came through the door. Melody smiled at her. "I'm Grace, Grace Van Pelt," Grace said, happily to the younger girl.

"Melody Boone," Melody replied smiling – Grinning in fact.

"Van Pelt, can you stay here and keep Jane out of trouble?" Lisbon asked, turning to face the red head.

"Sure Boss," Grace nodded, smiling at Melody again.

"Thanks, and Jane, just... Don't harass the girl," She gave him a stern look and then left the room.

"Don't harass the girl?" Grace asked, turning to face Jane, "What'd you do, Jane?" She asked.

"I did nothing, Grace. Why is it that people always point at me. I didn't do anything, did I Melody?" Jane turned from Grace to Melody. Melody pursed her lips together, to keep from laughing.

"You seemed to know far too much about me, which is creepy. But... Other than that, I don't think so," A small giggle burst from her lips. So much had happened in the last few hours, and yet, here she was, laughing at a man she only knew the name of.

"Whatever Jane." Grace rolled her eyes at the man, and came to sit next to Melody. "How about you tell me about yourself, Melody?" Van Pelt asked, looking at the young blonde, noticing how much alike Jane and Melody looked; The same eye colour and hair colour, and both had curls, but, of course, Melody's curls were long and pulled back right now.

"Uh, sure. What'd you want to know?" She asked. She hated talking about herself unless it was a specific question. She was never very good at it.

"What do you like to do for fun?" Van Pelt asked, turning her body more towards Melody.

"I play base ball on my school team, and I used to play badminton on the team, too. I like to sing, and I'm a reporter on my school newspaper." She told Grace, and Jane, too, only because he was still in the room. "I also love to write, and read. And I love cop shows, but I'm pretty sure Jane knows that," She smirked, looking over at the man who had guess so much about her.

"That's partially true. I knew you wanted to be a cop, but I didn't know about the cop shows," He said, finally not looking around the room, and sitting on the chair that was by her desk.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked, looking from Van Pelt to Jane, biting her lip.

"Sure, of course." Van Pelt said, smiling a reassuring smile.

"What's going to happen to me? I mean, the only family I have is in Texas, and I don't want to go back there..." She trailed off, a few tears forming in her blue eyes. Van Pelt looked over at Jane, who shrugged.

"I don't know, Melody." Van Pelt said, honestly. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I just... I wouldn't be adopted if it came to that, and I'm too old to be a foster child for more than a few months. The only family I even have in the country is my grandma, and she's... She can't take care of me." Melody sighed, and an idea dawn on Jane.

"I've got an idea, Lisbon may actually kill me for it, but, still." He said, laughing whilst he said so. Van Pelt raised an eye brow at Jane, and Melody looked over at him. "You can live with one of us until we can get things sorted out," He suggested.

"Well, I'd say you can stay with me, but I'm in a one room apartment right now. So, it's either Jane or Lisbon, and I highly doubt Lisbon could take someone in, no offence." Van Pelt said, looking to Jane.

"Well, there's an extra room at my apartment," He said, grinning as Lisbon came back into the room.

"We've got to go – Why are you smiling like that?" She asked as she looked at Jane.

"Because I've just had a brilliant idea." He said, standing up. "Melody here can stay with me at my apartment until we get everything settled and find a real home for her, like... With a friend or something." Jane said, looking at Lisbon for approval.

"Is Melody okay with this?" Lisbon asked, looking away from Jane and to Melody.

"It's fine with me," She muttered, not really sure what else to say. "It's settled then!" He grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two! Haha, I never figured that I'd actually get to writing it, but whatever :D Anyway, thanks for the reviews! It's making me actually **_**want**_** to write a second (And third and fourth...) chapter, so enjoy! And don't forget to review, and remember, I dunna own the Mentalist, just Melody. **

**Chapter Two;;;

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Van Pelt stayed behind to help Melody get her things, and she warned her that Jane could be an idiot most of the time, which Jane denied. Melody didn't have a lot of things, just her music, a few stories, clothes and a few pictures. Surprisingly it all fit into one bag. Van Pelt and Jane left Melody alone for a few minutes, giving her time to change, and see if there was anything else she wanted to take with her. She took a minute to put her I-Pod charging cord and cell phone cord in her bag, and then sat down on her bed for a moment. She blinked back a few tears that wanted to fall, and then quickly changed from her pyjamas' to some real clothes, as it was getting light out.

Melody took a look at the clock beside her bed; 8:30. Wow, it had been a long night. It was hard to believe that she'd woken up to Elizabeth's screaming only three hours before. Three long painful hours. She shoved the thought from her head as she pulled her old tee shirt over her head, grabbing a newer shirt, one that her mom hadn't liked to begin with, but soon learned to like. She smiled at the memory as she ran a brush through her tangled mess of curls, and tied them back.

A few stray tears ran down her cheeks as she pulled a random pair of shoes on, and pushed her cell phone into the front pocket of the suitcase that she'd used four years before, when she'd moved across country. She took a few deep breaths before opening the door that she'd closed not long before, and lugged the rather large suitcase out of the room. She blinked quickly as she pasted Elizabeth's room, the door shut.

"You and Lisbon just have trust issues," Melody heard Jane say as she approached the top of the stairs. She pulled the bag down the middle of the stairs, the carpeted part, and tried to ignore the things around her, listening to the sound of the suitcase, the smell of the rose garden out back, the sound of the fountain that was ever flowing. She knew the rest of the world couldn't be ignored for long though, and let it back in when both feet were planted firmly on the ground.

"Hello, Melody," Van Pelt smiled at the young girl, standing up and moving towards her. "Got everything you need?" She asked, glancing down at the bag that sat at the blonde feet. Melody nodded, having to wait a moment to speak.

"Everything I can bare to take with me," She told the older woman, chewing on her bottom lip after wards. Van Pelt nodded, giving Melody a reassuring smile again.

"Everything's going to be alright," She said, leading her towards the door, "You know, as long as Jane doesn't drive you mad." She joked, turning to see Jane smiling also. Melody let a small smile onto her face, nodding. _'Yea, everything will be fine... Well, nearly.'_ She thought, following right behind Van Pelt, and Jane behind the two. Being the last out, Jane locked the door of the large house. The large house Melody was afraid she may never see again; Well, never live in again. Maybe she could get the other three to come down some day and they could live here while going to school or something, her parents did – had – owned the place after all.

She blinked back more tears as she saw the silver Mercedes Benz that they'd driven from Texas to California in four years before; The car her father was teaching Melody to drive in. And the red Ferrari sitting next to it, both of which should have been on the way to work, one to a law firm five blocks away where her mother should have been sitting in a desk working on a case as the lawyer she was. And the other to the local collage, where her father was teaching an English course, one Melody had been going to take after graduating.

Tearing her eyes away from the cars in the drive way, she looked at the other car that she'd never seen before, a black non-descript SUV sitting there, one that Van Pelt was leading her towards, laughing at the face that Melody didn't realize she was making.

"Yea, the CBI cars are _nothing_ compared to those," She said, talking about Anne and Jesse's car's. Melody smiled a little.

"Dad was teaching me how to drive in the Mercedes, mom wouldn't let me touch her Ferrari, afraid I was going to crash it," She said, hearing Jane chuckling behind her.

"Well, I don't blame her much," He said, coming up beside Van Pelt, who was unlocking the car. "Can I drive?" He asked hopefully, a huge grin on his face. Van Pelt scoffed.

"Yea right, and have you crash? Or worse, Lisbon finding out, I think not." She muttered the last part.

"Pleaseeeee?" Jane dragged out the word, whining.

"Not gonna happen, Jane." Van Pelt said flatly, "End of story." She got into the car, Jane mocking her. Melody laughed, biting her lip to hide it. Jane sighed, opening the back door of the car.

"After you," He said already seeming to have forgotten the few exchanged words over driving, helping Melody into the car, which was higher off the ground that the Mercedes she'd been driving in the back yard for the past three months. Jane put the bag that Melody had left on the ground by accident into the car, closed the door and headed around to the passenger seat, climbing in himself. Both Melody and Van Pelt were buckled, but Jane just sat there for a minute, smiling.

"Jane, just put your seat belt on." Van Pelt rolled her eyes, turning to face the consultant. Jane glanced over at her, an innocent look on his face.

"What if I don't want to?" He asked, his smile turning into a smirk.

"I _am_ capable of arresting someone, namely you," She muttered, watching him sigh dramatically and then actually listening. "Thank you," Van Pelt murmured, while starting the car.

After a few minutes, the silence is starting to become the awkward type, that comes with being in a smaller area with people you either don't like or don't know, not the kind that comes after a big shock of some kind.

"What did your parents do, Melody?" Jane asked, and Van Pelt slapped his arm as they came to a stop sign, "If you don't mind my asking. There, happy?" He added the last part to the red head driving the car. Melody swore she heard Grace say 'Meh', but couldn't be sure.

"I don't. My mother is – was – My mother was a lawyer at a firm... I don't remember the name of it, somewhere about five blocks from here. And daddy taught an English course at Sacramento State." She told the two, "I was going to go there after high school," She admitted.

"I thought you wanted to be a cop?" Jane said, turning, sort of, in his seat to face her.

"You have to be at least 23 to start training, the English course will help pass the time." She told him nonchalant.

Jane grinned, turning back to face forward. He was defiantly taking a liking to this girl. She reminded him of a younger, female, more down to earth version of himself. Like a daughter, almost, except, he wouldn't grow too attached to Melody if he could help it; He'd lost too much to grow attached to anything now day, except maybe the couch in the bullpen.

Now, knowing that Melody would either end up at the CBI building all day, since they all had to work, or school, which seemed highly unlikely, she'd have to get to know Rigsby and Cho... And Hightower. Jane internally groaned thinking of how he was to explain to Hightower that she needed to stay around the office all day, or at least until Jane went home. But, then again, Agent Hightower did have children of her own, maybe she would be able to watch the blonde sitting in the back of the SUV for a little while.

It was only a matter of minutes before they would get to the CBI building, and Jane closed his eyes for a minute, until interrupted by a song playing.

_Cause your broken and beautiful, and you're so damn cynical, but I'm drawn in by the darkness in your eyes. And it's beautiful. Broken and beautiful._

Melody blushed, and dug her cell phone out, flipping the Sidekick open to read the new message; From Tara.

_Hey Merry Melody! What's the happ's? Or... Aren't you in school? – Tiara Tara_

Melody smiled, glad her friends hadn't forgotten about her yet, even after four years of only seeing each other over summer and spring breaks. Although, at the moment, 'Merry Melody' didn't fit her.

_Hi Tara..._ Melody typed, unsure of how to word what had just happened; Tara, Jenna and Becca had always liked Elizabeth, Jesse and Anne. _Uh... I have some realllly bad news. Mom, dad and Elizabeth... Their dead. They were killed by a serial killer... Umm... Red John, I think is what Grace said his name was._ She was satisfied with that and sent it to her friend. Just the thought of school... It would be terrible come time to go back, which would probably be in a few days time.

Melody went to a private school, rich kids and a few students on scholarships. Melody was both; She'd won a scholarship, three years ago for one year, but she was still going thanks to her father and mother. Rich kid. She'd always laughed at that, never figuring she'd be one.

"A friend?" Jane asked, as Van Pelt stopped the car to get through the CBI gates.

"Yea, Tara," Melody said, closing the phone.

"Morning Agent Van Pelt, Jane." The man at the gate said, smiling in at the two. "Uh... Who's that?" He asked, seeing Melody's blonde head, and hearing her speak.

"Jackson, this is Melody Boone. Her family was the one we were called out for; Red John." Van Pelt muttered, trying to keep Melody from hearing and worrying about it.

"Alrighty, well, good morning and nice to meet you Melody." Jackson smiled in at her, ducking his head, and opening the gate for the car to go through. Melody chewed on her lip as Van Pelt parked the car, and before she could have her seatbelt undone, Jane had already gotten out and opened the door for her.

"Thanks," She said, smiling, sliding across the seat to get out, Jane helping her down, and then reaching back into the SUV to grab her suitcase.

"You're welcome." He smiled at her, "I'm not sure how long you may have to be here, like, all day, or just a little while, so, you may want to make sure you have something to do." Melody shook the hand that still held her phone, "I think I'm good," She said, laughing a little. Texting, internet, and music, she was set for life as long as the battery was charged. A moment after that, the phone rang again, and Melody opened it quickly, and opened the text; She would have to put it on vibrate or something as not to disturb any one.

_Oh my gosh! Melody, I'm soooo sorry to hear :( We all loved Lizabeth, and your parents. Wait... Serial killer? And he left you alive? That is the strangest thing I've heard in a while. So, what's going to happen to you? You can't live alone, your only 15 (For 2 and a half more months)! Hey, what if you came back and lived with us? Well, mom, dad, Drew and I – Tiara Tara_

Melody smiled at Tara's attempt to cheer her up, it was nice to see they still cared about her that much even if she hadn't seen them since December. She hit reply, and started typing while Jane looked over at her intently, Van Pelt going inside.

_I don't get the me-being-left-alive-and-unharmed thing either, but whatever. The guy is sadistic. And I wish I could, I'm staying with Patrick Jane for the time being, the physic who was helping the police, and then everyone stopped talking about him, remember him? Becca used to laugh because she kept saying there was no such thing, and I'd tell her it was Mentalism. Anyway, he's really nice, and he offered, but I have to go at the moment. – Melody_

She sent the text and flipped her phone closed, turning the sound off and having it on vibrate, as not to bug anyone.

"Sorry 'bout that." She said to Jane, looking over at him; He looked amused. Stange.

"Your friend sounds like me." He said, chuckling.

"What do yo – Wait a second! How'd you know that?" She demanded to know. He would have needed to have been looking over her shoulder to read the text.

"You said it yourself, Mentalism." Jane said in a joking tone, gesturing towards the large building. "Shall we?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Muahahaha! I'm writing the third already, I'm on a roll! Woo... That or I'm just excited for no reason... I'm going to go with the first one. *cough*Idon'towntheMentalistonlyMelody*cough* Got it? Good.**

**Chapter Three;;;**

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Melody grinned, actually pretty happy considering the day's events so far.

"We shall," She said, giggling. Jane couldn't help but smile when she did, he was good with children, although this 'child' was 15 years old, and his own daughter had been 5 when she had been so brutally murdered. Although, Melody was 15, and Jane had no idea how to raise a teenager, but she seemed the kind to know how to take care of herself.

Jane lead Melody into the building, a few members of different units giving the girl strange looks. The two walked over to the elevator.

"Ignore them," Jane muttered, hitting the 'up' button. She nodded, hitting a random button on her phone and glancing down at the time, having ignored it every other time. 9:12. Melody sighed, nodding.

"'Kay," She said, looking up as the elevator doors opened. Jane blinked a few times before realizing who was standing there.

"Agent Hightower," Jane said, nodding in her direction.

"Jane," The special agent said, looking not in the consultant's direction but in Melody's.

"Oh, right. Hightower, this is Melody Boone, we found her at the house you sent us to this morning. Red John left her alone for some reason." Jane told his boss, or really his boss's boss. "Melody, this is Madeline Hightower. She's the chief of the CBI." He turned to Melody explaining.

"Hello," Melody said quietly, smiling at the woman, and then looking down at her shoes.

"Can I speak to you for a second?" Jane asked Hightower, who nodded, and walked off to the side. "I'll be right back," Jane told Melody, a rather stern look on his face. Melody started chewing on her lip, but then felt her phone vibrate.

_Patrick Jane? _The_ Patrick Jane? Oh. My. God. Mellie! How the hell did you manage that one? By the way, I'm going to tell Becca and Jenna, unless you want to? We can all talk later, we can call? – Tiara Tara_

Melody smiled, leave it to Tara to think something had happened.

_Tara! God, :) He works with the team on the CBI that came to... Well, you know. And calling will be good, uh, I'll call you around...7 your time? Around 9 here, sound good?_

She quickly typed the text and sent it as Jane and Hightower finished up.

"Why on Earth, Jane, did you bring her back here?" Hightower asked Jane, a very serious look on her face. Jane glanced over at her, a soft look on his face.

"Because, Madeline, she has no where to go. Her mother, father and sister all dead. Her grandmother can't take care of her, no I do not know why, and she has no other family in the country, acording to her." Jane told Hightower, not leaving time for her to interupte him while he was talking.

"Jane, why not let social services deal with it?" Hightower asked, raising one perfect dark brown eye brow. He though about that for a second, his eye brows furrowing together.

"Because... Because she reminds me of my daughter, okay?" He confessed, looking down like a little boy who had been caught in the act of doing something wrong. Hightower smiled at him, as he looked up, confusing him.

"She does look like you." Hightower murmured. "Fine, she can stay here when she has too, but she is _your_ responsibility, and if anything happens to her, be it here, or otherwise, you have to handle it. Got it?" Jane's smile grew big, and he nodded, and for no apparent reason, hugged Special Agent Madeline Hightower. After Jane turned around to go back over to Melody, Hightower smiled a little. Patrick Jane wouldn't let anything happen to _this_ girl even if he wasn't actually related to her.

Melody noticed the large grin on Jane's face, but let it go. He was a strange man alright. He once again hit the up button on the elevator, his hands in his pockets as he waited for the doors to open. _'Open sesame.'_ She thought, surprised when the door actually opened. Laughing to herself, she followed Jane into the elevator with her bag, remembering to get it this time.

Jane glanced over at Melody when she looked down at her phone, an older phone it looked, sort of. Big and chunky, but still new in a way. She looked up over at him at the same time he looked away.

"How'd you know about me reminding Tara about Becca not believing you were a physic? I mean, I typed it. And even with the whole Mentalist thing to back you up, how?" Melody asked, brushing a stray curl out of her face, annoyed with her hair. Jane chuckled a little, she sounded a little like Lisbon, too, doubting the whole thing.

"I'm good at reading people, I've guess far stranger things, with less to go on, and been right." Jane told her, watching the floors tick by.

Level Two.

"Really? That seems rather hard to believe." She muttered to herself.

Level Three.

"I have. I have good feelings, I guess." He smiled; Not a cocky smile, or an all knowing one, a real genuine one.

Level Four.

"Ah, well. This is m – Our floor." Jane corrected himself as the doors opened. He lead her out, showing her to the bullpen.

"Hey Jane. Hi Melody," Van Pelt greeted the two in the kitchen, making a cup of coffee. "You may want to figure out a way of explaining why Melody is here to Rigsby, Cho and Lisbon. None of them know you were actually bringing her back here, and Cho and Rigsby don't even know."

"It's really not that hard to explain things, Grace. You make them seem harder than they are." Jane smiled, as Van Pelt just rolled her eyes and headed back to her desk. "Come on," Jane said to Melody, "And let me take that, I feel silly watching you pull it around," He muttered the last part, picking the bag up that Melody had been rolling behind her. She smiled a little, he was like her father in ways, always carring things for her because Jesse though she couldn't handle it. Because he felt silly watching 'My little girl carring things around when my own arms are fine and empty.'

"Jane!" Melody heards a female's voice call, she remembered it from eariler that morning; Agent Teresa Lisbon.

"Morning Lisbon," Jane chuckled as Lisbon came out of her office and into the bullpen, seeing Melody standing there looking silly with her cell phone in hand, and Jane standing there next to Melody looking stranger, holding Melody's bag.

"What is she doing here?" She asked, smiling at Melody, but then looking angry with Jane.

"Well, I couldn't just take her to my apartment and leave her there, now could I? I mean, after all that, the last thing someone wants is to be left alone with only that to occupy there mind." Jane stated, looking Lisbon in the eye. Jane pushed nearly all of the thoughts that were coming into his head out, as he tried to think of a real reason why he'd brought Melody back to the office.

"Really? Because if I'm not mistaken, most of the people who this happen's to, wants to be left alone." Lisbon snapped back.

"Ah, yes, but Lisbon, they are adults, were as Melody is clearly a 15 year old." Jane said, sounding relaxed, which almost scared Melody at how calm he could be about this. Lisbon glared at Jane one last time and turned on her heel, heading back into her office, shutting the door rather loudly.

"Well, that went well." Van Pelt muttered, taking a sip of her coffee. Jane turned towards her, a quiet laugh slipping out. One quiet, humored laugh.

"Yes, well, it went well enough." He said, nodding for no apparent reason. "Aha! Rigsby! Cho!" Jane smiled at the two men coming into the room – Bullpen, coming into the bullpen.

"Jane!" Rigsby repled sarcastically before noting the smaller, female, version of Jane. "Ha, she's almost a mini you, man." Rigsby laughed for a second, his laugh then trailing off. "Wait, isn't that the girl from the Red John murder?" Jane nodded.

"The girl from the Red John murder has a name," Melody said before Jane could say anything, and just as Lisbon came out of her office to ask Cho something. Rigsby smiled; He liked this kid.

"Oh, really. And may I be informed of this girls name?" He asked, ever so politely as a smile was drawn onto his face, and the one on Melody's grew.

"Melody Boone." Was all she said, smiling the whole while.

"Melody. That's a nice name," Rigsby told her.

"Thanks," She muttered, looking down at her feet, blushing. She never got complemented on her name. _Never_.

"Cho, Rigsby," Jane took a few steps forward, leaning against one of the desk's behind him. "Melody here is going to be staying at my apartment until we get everything sorted out." He announced to the two men, and Lisbon sort of, too. Rigsby looked at Melody, raising an eye brow. All Melody did was smile.

"Melody, Kimball Cho, and Wayne Rigsby." Cho nodded in Melody's direction, his face not showing emotion, like always, and a smile on Rigsby's.

"Hi." Melody said quietly. Jane could have swore he saw a smile, ever so small, appear on Cho's face for a second or two. The silence was starting to become awkward again.

"CBI, Van Pelt." Van Pelt picked up the phone as it rang, obviously trying to get to it before Rigsby, whose hand had been a nano-second away from the phone when Grace answered. "Yea, okay. We'll be right there. Case, Boss." Van Pelt told Lisbon who nodded, going into her office to grab her jacket.

"Uh, Lisbon?" Jane asked, gesturing to Melody. He'd actually been hoping they wouldn't get a case until he could get her home, and not have to bring her. Lisbon thought about the options for a second.

Either; Bring her and have Jane watch her, or leave her here and possibly have something happen to her. Gah.

"She can come." Lisbon said, pulling her coat on, "Maybe she can keep _you_ out of trouble." Jane laughed, and muttered something like 'Yea, right. That'll happen.' Rigsby got a chuckle out of it, and then headed to the elevator with the rest of the team. Jane put Melody's bag by the old leather couch, and then gestured for her to follow him, following the rest of the team. Lisbon lead them outside to two different black non-descript vehicles', one the SUV Van Pelt and Jane had brought back not too long before, and the other just a normal looking car.

"Rigsby, Van Pelt, Cho." Lisbon told the three, getting them to take the SUV. "Jane, Melody and I." She grumbled, not pleased that she was stuck with Jane. Just as the three were in the car, and Lisbon had started it, Melody's phone vibrated, and she was suddenly even more glad she'd put it on vibrate.

_7 sounds good, actually, it sounds awesome! Becca and Jenna are coming over so we can work on a project, one that would include you had you been here. Anyway, what are you doing now? – Tiara Tara_

Tara had always been one to try and cheer people up, most of the time by making people laugh, or just plain getting their mind off it.

_Uh... I'm in a car. They have a case, and I guess they – Jane – Didn't want to leave me alone at the office? I haven't got a clue, but as long as I don't fall asleep I'm good; Nightmares and all :p – Melody_

Melody was proud of how mature about everything she was being. Had it been anyone else, they probably would have broken down crying by now, but she was holding up pretty well, although she would probably cry herself to sleep that night.

* * *

"The victim is Jarred Grey, 24 years old, a 10th grade math and science teacher." Van Pelt told Jane and Lisbon as they looked around the crime scene. "Looks like blunt force trauma to the head, and someone stabbed him in the back. Lisbon listened, while Jane looked around. "We can't find the murder weapon, but it's probably around here somewhere..." Van Pelt trailed off. Melody was sitting in the car, the door open and her feet hanging out. Jane hadn't wanted her near the crime scene, and she had happily obliged. But, she could still hear what they were saying.

Jarred Grey. Jarred Grey. _Jarred Grey_. _Jarred_ Grey. Jarred _Grey_. _'Oh!'_ Melody remembered who he was, and literally fell out of t he car.

"Ow," She murmured as she stood up. Jane and Lisbon looked over at her picking herself up off the ground, dusting her knee's off. "I know him, er, knew him." She told them.

"You did?" Lisbon asked, walking over nearer the girl. Melody nodded, "He was my science teacher at SCP."

"You went to SCP?" Jane asked, Melody nodded once again.

"I _go to_ SCP." She said, brushing her curls out of her face again. "Is that a problem?" She asked, a little over dramatic.

"Jane, don't." Lisbon hissed at him, before turning back to Melody. "Is there anybody that might have wanted to hurt Mr. Grey?" Melody thought about that for a second.

"Well, Mr. Whittman never liked him; The other science teacher. I heard them arguing once before class, I was walking past the staff room and I could hear them yelling." She said; It had only been a few months before, but, no one really liked Gary Whittman anyway, and most people liked Jarred Grey.

"Do you know where he would be? Mr. Whittman?" Van Pelt came over and asked.

"Probably at school, teaching. More than likely annoyed I'm not there." She laughed a little. "He's my homeroom teacher, and I rarely miss a day of school, and he likes to annoy me." She stated, rather glad at the moment she wasn't at school.

"I think we're going to pay Mr. Whittman a visit." Lisbon said. "Van Pelt, Rigsby, and Cho, stay here and see if you can find anything. Jane, Melody and I are going to visit this teacher of hers." She said, Melody getting back into the car.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm on a roll with writing! Awesome :D It's probably just because it's just all in my mind and the music. And the cats are actually leaving me alone... Anyway. You know; I don't own the Mentalist or any of its characters, I only own Melody.**

**Chapter Four;;;**

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Melody had lead Lisbon and Jane to the classroom that was Mr. Gary Whittman's, while he was in the middle of giving a long lecture, probably on something stupid that he technically wasn't allowed to lecture people on.

"Uh, I'd suggest you knocking, because he would lash out yelling at me," Melody said to Lisbon, who in return nodded, and knocked on the door. Mr. Whittman's lecturing voice trailed off into silence for a few seconds before he wrecked the door open.

"What'd ya want?" He asked, his eyes growing wide when he saw Melody standing beside, and slightly behind, Jane. "What aren't you in class?" His loud voice asked her as she moved backwards a little more, the fear clear in her eyes.

"Gray Whittman? Agent Teresa Lisbon, CBI." She said, showing him her badge, Mr. Whittman dumbfounded.

"And I repeat myself. What'd ya want?" He closed the door to the class room, the class quiet.

"We're investigating the murder of Jarred Grey." She said, not a drop of emotion clear in her voice other than annoyance and anger at the man standing in front of her.

"Ha, Jarred's dead? Always knew that day would come." He muttered to himself, a smirk growing on his face.

"We have to ask you a few questions. Now, we can do that here, or we can take you back to the office." Lisbon said, trying to make herself seem a little bigger, standing up straighter. She was small, and Mr. Whittman couldn't have been much bigger than Jane, if any taller than Jane.

"I have a class to teach," He said, turning to go back inside of the classroom.

"And I'm pretty sure your class can wait ten minutes." Lisbon was obviously annoyed with him. And an Annoyed Lisbon is not a good thing.

"Listen, I don't care if you're the CBI or the President of the United Freaken States, I have a class to teach."

"Didn't sound like you were teaching from what I could hear," Jane stepped in, calming Lisbon down a little, although Melody was still scared.

Mr. Whittman was a jerk, to put it lightly. He had been in the Army, and once had put a student in the hospital, at a different school. They were having other teachers in and out all day just to make sure he didn't do it again. No one liked him, and most transferred to Mr. Grey's class if they could.

Mr. Whittman laughed, a humourless dry laugh. Lisbon sighed, and pulled her hand cuffs out.

"I said; We need to ask you some questions." As she cuffed him, pushing him towards the door. Melody grinned as she heard some people inside the class room cheering a little. Seeing their least favourite teacher dragged away in hand cuffs was a lovely sight to see, especially being dragged away by someone as small as Lisbon.

Mr. Whittman glared at both Jane and Melody, as he couldn't turn around to glare at Lisbon. Melody chewed on her lip, as she remember that she herself was one of the people that had wanted to see this happen, and really, she was sort of the one who had cause it. Sweet.

_Yea, the nightmares would suck :/ But, yeaa. What's up now? – Tiara Tara_

_Lisbon just cuffed my homeroom teacher :D Total jerk, really. It was funny. Cause, Lisbon's a little taller than me, maybe half an inch, and Mr. Whittman is like... Well, Jane's height – Melody_

Jane told Melody she could sit in the front when they took Mr. Whittman to the CBI building, and he would sit in the back; Just to be safe. Lisbon also seemed to like the arrangement, but that might have just been because it meant that she didn't have to put up with Jane sitting beside her, but he was behind her. Melody didn't mind it, and Mr. Whittman was just grumbling to himself on how this wasn't fair, and it wasn't right, and blah blah blah.

The drive to CBI didn't seem long, but that might have been because Melody wanted to get away from Mr. Whittman, and Lisbon wanted to get out of the same car as Jane. Lisbon took Mr. Whittman to an interrogation room, and Jane took Melody up to the bullpen, saying she could just sit on the couch, and whatever. Melody nodded, as he left the room to go find Lisbon and Mr. Whittman, and Melody just sort of sat on the couch, playing with her phone; Checking her e-mail, and Facebook and what not.

_Seriously? That's... Well, strange and awesome! – Tiara Tara_

Melody smiled, waiting a minute before replying, Van Pelt walking through the door as she did.

_Yea, very strange and awesome. You could actually hear people in the class cheering and stuff seeing him get dragged away in handcuffs :D – Melody_

"Hey Melody." Van Pelt smiled at the girl as she closed her phone. "Where's Lisbon and Jane?" Melody shrugged.

"We went to my school and had to bring Mr. Whittman back here, Jane brought me up here, and then went to find Lisbon." She said, playing with a curl.

"Interrogation," Van Pelt said, sitting down at her desk. She started typing and clicking, as Rigsby and Cho came in.

"Hey Melody," Rigsby grinned at her, Melody returning the smile.

"Hi," She was getting a little more used to being around them, mostly Grace and Jane, but still. She glanced up from looking at the time on her phone (Which said it was 10:10 by the way) and saw Van Pelt's jaw drop.

"Wayne, come here." She hissed at Rigsby, who happily obliged, and walked over to her desk. As much as Melody was wondering what she'd found, she just leaned back on the old leather couch, which was really comfortable by the way, and flipped through pictures on her phone, smiling at the old memories.

Jane and Lisbon walked through the door, both happy for some unknown reason.

"Jane, Lisbon, come here." Van Pelt called them over, shooing Rigsby away. She pointed to something on the screen that made Lisbon look from the screen to Jane to Melody, and back again.

"She's – How? – Wow..." Jane sounded confused, standing up after looking at the screen.

"Can you come here for a second, Melody?" Grace asked, and Melody nodded, getting up and walking over. What Van Pelt had open on the screen was a family tree. At the top was Jasmine Silver and Alexander Jane. Below them Anne Silver and Patrick Jane. Beside Anne was Jesse Boone, and below them, was Elizabeth and Melody Boone. Side Patrick, was Alyssa Grant, and below Patrick and Alyssa, Lillian Jane.

Patrick Jane was Melody Boone's uncle?

It would explain the resemblance, but Jane looked shocked, more than shocked really. He hadn't seen or heard from his mother or sister since he was a child, 8 or 9, and now... Either this was purely coincidence, or something someone had spent a lot of time thinking about.

Lisbon looked like she was thinking hard, trying to figure something out. Jane looked confused and shocked still. Cho was reading his book, and didn't really look anything, just bored stiff. Rigsby was looking between Jane and Melody. And Van Pelt was now staring at the screen of her computer, at the family tree that had just popped up on her screen.

"Good morning," Hightower said, coming into the room, where everyone was being far too quiet, Cho the only one who wasn't in shock or something.

"Oh, morning Agent Hightower," Lisbon was the first to say something, watching the others moving away from Van Pelt's desk, all too quiet, which Hightower either didn't notice, or just didn't want to talk about.

"How are we getting on the case; Grey." At that, Lisbon perked up.

"Quiet well, actually. Melody told us that there was a teacher at her school that didn't like Grey, we're holding him right now, but he won't talk until his lawyer gets here. Only problem is, his lawyer was Melody's mother."

* * *

It was a long day, that was no lie. A very very long day, and not just it felt long, it was nearing 9 by the time that Jane actually managed to get Hightower to let him go home with Melody, his niece. That was going to take a while to even remember right away. But, the two finally got home.

Home. Melody wouldn't think of it as home, she was sure, home was twenty minutes away, large and surrounded by flowers, grass and things that she loved. At home her room was colourful, covered in pictures and posters and song lyrics, not Eggshell White, and empty with only a bed, a small desk, a dresser and closet. Home had the Mercedes and Ferrari, not Jane's Citroen. Home had a stereo that Melody would turn up and dance around in her room for hours on end to what ever played on her I-Pod. Home was homey, and loving, and warm, not that Jane's place wasn't, it's just... It was strange, maybe a good strange, she didn't know.

Jane unlocked the door to his apartment and lead Melody in, and showed her around the apartment that was really small compared to her house, but, it was nice. Melody was pretty sure she'd get used to it, or, at least learn to deal with it. Showing her to the bedroom that she would sleep in, Jane ran a few thoughts through his head, not sure what to say.

"Uh..." He was nervous. _That_ was plain in his voice, like the fear of Red John was in Melody's mind. "If you want, we can go and get some more of your things tomorrow, since it's Saturday?" He asked, awkwardly to a degree. Melody bit her lip, but then nodded. Unsure of what she was actually doing, Melody hugged Jane. He was surprised for a second, but then, awkwardly too, hugged her back, after which she retreated to the room behind her, closing the door. She sat down on the bed, sighing. It was going to be a long night.

Melody put the bag up the bed, unpacking some of the things she would actually need to unpack, and then setting out pj's to change into. She put nearly everything away, quickly changing into an old Sponge Bob tee shirt, and a pair of pj pants, slipping two mismatching slippers on. She'd been sent the two last year for her birthday, two pairs, but she'd lost the counterpart to both slippers. Smiling to herself, she slid the suitcase under the edge of her bed, and sat down on it, picking up her phone. She couldn't hear Jane, but, that didn't mean anything.

Shrugging, she dialled the familiar number, and held the phone up to her ear, waiting for Tara to pick up.

Waiting...

Still Waiting...

Still freaken wait –

"Hello?" Well, that could work, too.

"Hey Tiara Tara," Melody said in a joking tone, hearing Tara gasp on the other end.

"Mellie! Ohmigosh! You have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice! Not that way, but – You know what I mean." Tara babbled, like she did whenever she heard from Melody after a while. "How are you?"

"I'm... I'm pretty good, I figured that I would have fallen asleep by now, after the day I've had, but I haven't." She laughed a little, then the laugh was gone. "I still can't believe it." She muttered into the phone, laying down, her head hanging over the edge of the bed. She had used to do this all the time, hanging her head over the edge of the bed; Seeing the world in a different perspective, until she got lightheaded at least.

"Hey Tara!" Melody heard Jenna's voice in the background, smiling to herself as she did.

"Hey Jenn!" Tara covered the phone as she yelled to one of her other friends, "I'm going to put you on speaker." She warned Melody before doing do.

"Hey Tar," She heard Becca's quieter voice enter the conversation.

"Don't be too loud, Mellie's on the phone," Tara said, sounding a little proud, a little upset, and a lot confused.

"Oh, hey Melody," Jenna's voice cam directed at her. "I heard about... Well, you know." She said, sounding upset. Melody heard something crash, and then giggling.

"Oh, shuddup," Becca murmured, coming to sit by the phone with the other two. "How are things, Mellie?" She asked, as Melody sat back up, lying her head down on the pillow's now.

"About as good as things can be, maybe a little better," She said, detecting a hint of sadness in Becca's voice.

"'A bit better'?" Tara asked, quoting back what she'd just said.

"Yea, a bit better." She said, grinning to herself.

"What'd ya mean by that?" She asked. Melody could imagine Jenna raising an eye brow at the phone as if she could see it.

"By that I mean, I met some new people, I found out I have an uncle, and I got my homeroom teacher arrested." She said it in a way that made it sound like stuff like that happened every other day. She could almost hear Becca's jaw drop, and she _could_ hear Jenna fall off something, Tara laughing at the two.

"You what?" Two of the three girls asked, loudly.

"Which part?" Melody asked, laughing as she did so. She knew it had been a while since they'd all talked, because of school and family things, but, it was nice to be talking again, even if Melody couldn't actually be there with them.

"Second, then third, then first." Becca said, of course she ordered them. That was _sooo_ Becca like.

"Okay, firstly, Grace, one of the girls on the CBI team, found, or rather it appeared, a family tree. I'm just going to list it, sort of; Top, Jasmine Silver and Alexander Jane. Below that, Anne Silver and Patrick Jane. Below Anne, Melody and Elizabeth Boone. And Jane's family was over there." She took a breath, waiting for reactions. "Jane's my uncle." She said simply, before moving on.

"Secondly, the team had to go to a case, and kind of had to bring my along. So, I was sitting in the car..." Melody went on for a half an hour telling them whatever they wanted to know, as long as it didn't touch an subject that she couldn't bear to talk about.

A few hours later, Melody was actually starting to get tired. She said her goodbyes and then set her phone on the dresser, and lay back down on the bed. It took a while, but her breathing finally slowed down some as she fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry this one's shorter... I think my muse died for a few days, and I got stuck... But, the next one will probably be extra long. **

**Again, only owning Melody and a few minor characters :D**

**Chapter Five;;;;

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Melody awoke to the smell of pancakes.

She sat straight up when she noticed that the ceiling wasn't the right colour, and the details of the day before came back.

Her mother, father and sister were dead. She was living with her uncle Patrick Jane. She wasn't home any more. Sighing, she got out of bed, and slid her feet into her mis-matching slippers, heading to the kitchen. She was half way to the door, and then reached her hand up to her hair, realising it probably looked like a rat's nest.

Laughing a little at herself, she quickly ran a brush through her curls, and pulled them back into two pigtails, falling down on either side of her neck, then headed to the kitchen, knowing she didn't look as much like she'd _just_ rolled out of bed.

"Good morning," Jane said, rather perky, sounding _really_ awake for it being... 7 o'clock in the morning according to the clock on the wall.

"Morning," Melody stifled as yawn, smiling at Jane. He placed the last pancake on a plate, and set in on the table, gesturing for her to start eating.

"Thanks," She said, sitting down and picking up her fork.

"You're welcome," He smiled at her, sitting down across the table from her. He didn't take a bite of anything until Melody had already started.

"These are really good," She told him, smiling after she'd eaten a bit of the pancakes.

* * *

After breakfast, Jane told Melody she could go take a shower, and that he was going to go to the store for a little bit. Waiting until after he'd left, she got up from sitting in a chair curled up, a little bored, and headed to her room to find a few things.

She plugged both her phone and I-Pod into the wall to charge, she pulled a few items of clothing out of the dresser and laid them on the bed, so they'd be there went she was done. She'd brought a bottle of her favourite shampoo with her, she'd always loved the smell of it (Strawberries and Kiwi), and it was all she would use unless there wasn't any.

Melody's shower wasn't long; She had needed one, but had been far too tired two days ago after baseball, and had fallen asleep fully dressed, waking up in the middle of the night to change, and then having woke up again a few hours later to Elizabeth's screaming.

After her warm shower, she was feeling better a little. Being clean, and having some time to just think, always made her feel better. Wrapping a towel around herself she scurried into her room to get dressed.

After a few minutes, Melody was dressed in a multicoloured tutu, purple tights, and a pink tee shirt. She put a few accessories on that she loved, because they'd been gifts; A ring that had a piece of toast on it, her mother's old locket that she'd gotten for her 15th birthday, and two different pairs of earrings; The smaller, rainbow earrings, the other made out of different coloured buttons.

She was sure she heard the door open and close as she started to run a brush through her hair, her knotted curls becoming smoother, sort of. She pulled her still damp curls up into a cheerleader high ponytail, it brushing her neck, tickling it a little. Brushing what had been her bangs three months before out of her eyes, she glanced down at herself, finding herself looking fine, a little silly and childish, but fine none the less. She always wore things that were a little out there when she didn't have to wear the stupid uniform she had to for school.

Satisfied with her appearance after putting the smallest bit of eye liner on both the top and bottom, and a little white shadow, she headed out of the room. She looked around for a minute, finding not only Jane, but Lisbon and Van Pelt.

"Hi," She smiled at the three, wondering why the girls were there. She heard Jane snicker as she walked over to the couch to sit next to Van Pelt.

"Nice tutu," He said, a grin on his face. Melody just smiled. She'd been very into ballet before they'd moved, when she was 7, and had never really gotten over it. She'd taken ballet for nearly four years before moving, and two after. Then she'd moved on to playing badminton, and baseball, and being in drama, and on the school newspaper. She was very into being busy.

Before sitting down, she took a bow, laughing and smiling when she looked up, sitting down then.

"I like ballet," She said simply. Jane wasn't exactly paying attention at the moment, more looking between Lisbon and Van Pelt, trying to find the words to say something. Lisbon glared at the blonde man, and then glanced at Van Pelt before looking at Melody.

"Since Jane seems to have no idea about teen aged girls, Van Pelt and I volunteered to have a girls day out with you," Lisbon smiled at her, a real soft smile. One she would have used around her brothers, Melody decided. She wasn't sure, but she knew Lisbon had brothers, at least two of them, maybe three. "Although we'll probably spend most of the time walking around and talking, you may want to bring any money you've got." Melody smirked; Her bank account had a few hundred dollars she'd saved up since leaving Texas from odd jobs she'd done, and babysitting money.

"God, you've got the same smirk Jane's got," Van Pelt whispered to Melody, whose smirk just turned into a sweet smile.

"So, if you wanted to grab a coat, we'll leave Jane to whatever Jane does when he's not at work or driving me crazy," _Or annoying someone important._ Lisbon tacked on in her mind, _Or getting punched in the nose._ She added that thought on for her own good; She needed something to laugh about instead of being or serious. Melody nodded and got up from the couch, skipping into her room.

"Thanks again," Jane told the two girls still in the room, Lisbon just nodded, a small smile on her face.

"It's really no problem, Jane. Although you _are_ going to need to learn to watch her," Van Pelt smiled.

Melody grabbed the first bag she could lay her hands on; A colourful tote she used for school sometimes. She threw her phone and wallet in, and then grabbed her coat; White that buttoned up to her throat. Pulling it on, and not bothering to button it, she checked her wallet, and sure enough, there was money and her bank card, and student Id.

She walked back out of her room, pulling on the boots she was going to wear as she went, hoping on one foot to pull it on. Jane was, once again, laughing at her. And, being the person she is, she just wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out in a joking matter.

Melody set both feet on the ground after hopping on one foot again to get the other boot on, which was being stubborn, too.

"Finally," She muttered. She'd never really had problems getting the boots on before, but she'd also never tried to put them on while hopping on one foot.

"Bye, Jane." Van Pelt smiled at the older man as she left.

"Bye," Melody said, following suit behind Van Pelt. Lisbon just smiled again at Jane as she left, closing the door behind her.

They were taking Lisbon's car, apparently, as Melody soon learned when Lisbon took the lead and led them to a black car, which was actually a nice car; Not too small, not too big.


	6. Chapter 6

**La La La... Yea, bored and watching Castle :) I'm a little woo woo woo -ish *cough*crazy*cough***

**Chapter Six;;;;**

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The weekend went by rather quickly for Melody, slowly for Jane. But, too soon, Monday came.

The only thing she was looking forward to was a new homeroom teacher, as Mr. Whittman had been arrested and charged with the murder of Jarred Grey.

Smiling, she brushed her hair, still in her pj's for now. School started at eight, and it was seven now. She'd gotten so used to getting up early, she could never sleep in. Ever. And Jane told Melody he'd drop her off at school before going to work, and had offered to pick her up, but she told him she'd just get a drive home with Annabelle or someone.

After eating a bowl of cereal, she headed back to her room to change into her uniform; A white dress shirt, a black vest, a black blazer, and a pleated skirt. She stuffed a few things in her bag; Wallet, phone and I-Pod. She pulled a pair of black heels out from the shoe's she'd brought from home, a few of which were still there.

Normally she would have worn a pair of bright coloured sneakers, but today, she found herself wanting to wear the black strappy shoes. She laughed at herself as she sat down and pulled them on. And then the stupid tie she hated. Making a face, she put the tie around her neck, and then started tying it. Why was she stuck with a really annoying school uniform? She thought as she finished her make-up.

Grabbing her bag, she headed out of the room, finding Jane pulling his own jacket on. She now realised that the two of them were almost matching, a white button down shirt, a black vest, black jacket.

"Morning," Melody smiled at Jane, who in return laughed a little; He must have noticed her outfit – Stupid uniform.

"Good morning," Jane replied, opening the door for Melody.

"Thanks," She said, smiling as she walked out the door.

* * *

The drive to school was quiet. Quiet and short, which was good in a way. She'd double and triple checked her bag and wallet before they'd left to make sure that she had money for lunch, which she always did, and that she had the key Jane had given her for the apartment, since they were both sure she'd get home first. The key was on her keychain, beside the key to _her_ house, the stable (I said they were rich...), and a decretive key Jenna'd given her.

"Bye, uncle Patrick," Melody said, rather quickly, as he dropped her off at school. "See ya," She smiled and waved at him as she headed inside, chewing on her lip. It would take a _very_ long time to get used to saying 'Uncle Patrick'.

She thought she heard a 'Goodbye' when she climbed out of the light blue Citroën, but couldn't be sure, because by the time she turned around, the car was already going down the road towards the CBI HQ. Smiling to herself again, she headed to her locker, and then would look for Annabelle to see if she could get a ride that afternoon.

As the blonde walked down the hall, she could hear a few people talking in hushed tones, the kind of tones she despised; Like Lisbon did Jane's driving.

Finding her locker, she pushed through a few people standing near it, and quickly unlocked it, grabbing her binder and books, then shutting it and heading to find Annabelle.

"Melody!" Hanna came up beside her; Hanna Greene was a friend she'd made in drama and she was the fashion editor on the school newspaper.

"Hey Hann," Melody smiled at her, surprised at the unexpected hug. "What was that for?" She asked, hugging her books close. Hanna grinned and shrugged.

"I'm in a huggy mood. James asked me out!" Hanna squee-ed happily, as she took Melody's hand and dragged her outside. Melody's eyes grew wide.

"Really? When?" Melody hoped that Hanna hadn't heard about her parents and Elizabeth (Who went to the local highschool).

"About five minutes ago, right before I saw you get here. Who was that dropping you off? That's defiantly not your mum or dad's car." Hanna asked, and Melody sighed.

"My uncle," She told her truthfully. "I'm staying with him right now."

"I didn't know you had an uncle here, what's his name?" Hanna asked, as they walked around the school, Melody still keeping an eye out for Annabelle.

"I didn't know I had an uncle here either, until Friday." When the family tree had shown up on Grace's computer. She would try and avoid the question of the name for a little while.

"Okay, strange. Name?" Hanna pushed her lightly into giving the name.

"Patrick Jane," She mumbled, looking down, and then back up at Hanna's face. Hanna's eye's were huge, and she'd stopped walking, so Melody was a few pace's ahead. "Geez, come on, Hanna. I _really_ don't want to explain right now." She told her, her eyes begging Hanna to just let it drop and leave it alone until she was ready to talk, but, being Hanna Rose Greene, Queen of Gossip, Fashion Princess, and Drama Queen, had to know.

"Mel_ody,_" Hanna whined. "_Pleaseee_" Melody shook her head, about to open her mouth when the bell rang.

"Thank _god._" She murmured as she started heading inside.

"You _have_ to tell me at lunch." Hanna told her, and Melody just turned on her, shock on her face.

"I don't _have_ to tell you anything. In fact, I could be at home – At my uncle's home, watching TV instead of being here." Melody snapped, and then felt horrible about it. "Aw, sorry Hann. I really just don't want to talk about it, I don't want anyone to overhear and misunderstand it."

Hanna nodded, "Later?" She asked. Melody sighed and nodded as they walked into homeroom. "Hey, did you hear about Whittman?"

* * *

Their new homeroom teacher was a woman by the name of Andrea Van Pelt, she was from LA, and had moved to Sacramento to be closer to her sister, Grace. Melody was smiling all of homeroom; She was going to have to tell Grace that her sister was her teacher now.

On the way out of homeroom, heading to math, who would have a new teacher, too, since Jarred was dead, Andrea stopped Melody, saying she wanted to talk to her for a moment.

"What's up Ms. Van Pelt?" She asked, still smiling. That sounded as strange as calling Jane Uncle Patrick.

"I heard about your parents and sister," Ms. Van Pelt told her, "My sister Grace told me, she works with the CBI, Major Crimes unit." Melody nodded.

"I know," Was all she said.

"If there's anything you want to talk about, I'm here." She had said before realising Melody said she already knew about Grace. "What do you mean you know?"

"I've met Grace, and the rest of the team, and Agent Hightower." She said matter-of-factly. "It was Grace's team that came when... When it all happened, and her and Teresa Lisbon took me out shopping Saturday, leaving my Uncle Patrick to whatever it is he does." She told Ms. Van Pelt, who looked shocked; She didn't even know all of the team, only Grace.

"Alright. You can go to your next class now." She said, going to sit at her desk. Melody nodded, heading for the door, but then stopping and turning around.

"They're all going out for dinner this weekend, at the restaurant down the road, uh, the seafood one. Saturday at seven. I'm sure Grace wouldn't mind if you showed up, and I'm sure the rest of the team would love to meet you. Rigsby's been asking about the person in the photo with Grace she has on her desk," Melody told her teacher, smiling before quickly walking out the door to class; Even if she had been late, she could get away with it, the teachers had to know about the whole thing, so... It would have worked out in her favour, but, thankfully people were still in the hallway.

Melody quickly walked down the hall, grinning to herself, and knowing that Hanna (And Annabelle) will be waiting for her there at the desks that are placed next to each other.

As she rushed into the classroom, she didn't notice a boy coming out; A brunette, talk, probably 5 foot 11, at least. She didn't remember seeing him before, but he seemed to know where he was going; Probably showed up Friday when she wasn't there.

"Sorry," She said, gathering the books and things she'd dropped when she'd run into him. She started chewing on her lip, like she did when she was nervous.

"S'okay," The boy said, sounding nervous himself. He held his hand out to help her up, and she smiled kindly.

"Thanks," She murmured, making sure all of her papers were there and everything. "Oh! I'm Melody Boone," She introduces herself, realising she hadn't, and doesn't want to feel like an idiot.

"Benjamin Miles," He told her, and she noted a hint of a British accent in his voice, shaking her hand, which he still had in his own, she noted.

"Your new here, right?" She asked him, as he let go of her hand, which she then used to clutch her books to her chest. Benjamin nodded.

"I moved here from LA a few days ago, we move a lot." He tacked the last part on, sensing her bit of confusion. "We used to live in Wales." She nodded.

"That's cool, I used to live in Texas. My mom, dad and little sister moved here four years ago," She said, chewing on her lip again, talking about her family – Her _dead_ family. Benjamin noticed she seemed to get nervous, or upset when she mentioned her family, but didn't say anything.

"Well, we probably should go into the classroom," He said, smiling at her, "After you," He stepped aside, letting Melody pass. She started grinning, a goofy smile, as she walked over to Hanna and Annabelle.

"Why'd the teacher want to talk to you?" Hanna asked as soon as Melody had put her bag on the ground, her books on the desk, and sat down. Melody sighed.

"She just wanted to tell me something, and then she mentioned her sister, Grace, who I said I knew." She said, looking from Annabelle to Hanna. Hanna looked confused, and Annabelle was giving her that look, like '_Spill it now_'. "Oh, hey, Annabelle, can I get a lift over to my uncle's this afternoon? He's working, and I didn't want to make him come pick me up," Annabelle nodded.

"Sure, Mel," She said, a bit of angry in her voice. Melody raised an eyebrow at her friend, and was about to ask what was wrong, when the teacher came in. He was a stock red head, roughly 6 feet tall, decent looking, she decided.

He introduced himself as Fred Banks, Mr. Banks. He seemed nice enough, but Melody had also learned that you shouldn't judge people by first impressions.

* * *

By the end of class, Melody was hating the new math teacher. He'd assigned two pages of homework – _Two_ bloody _pages_ – He'd started to bring up her family, before she gave him a glare that nearly matched one of Lisbon's, _and_ he'd tried to hit on Annabelle, Hanna and herself. He was a pig.

"God," She muttered as she gathered her things up, glad to be leaving the classroom for English, one of her favourite classes, the other being gym.

"Hey, Melody." Annabelle gave her a tiny smile as they headed to class. "I have to ask, why did you want to get a ride with me to your _uncles_? And why your uncles?" Melody stopped walking, which threw Annabelle off, and her eyes started to water.

"Can I tell you later?" She asked, her voice cracking as she asked. Annabelle saw much something was tearing Melody up from the inside and nodded.

"Course. Whatever's wrong, or whatever happened, you can tell me later. And don't let Hanna know, or it will be everywhere in twenty minutes." Melody nodded, blinking back at the few tears that threatened to fall, and started walking again.

* * *

English whizzed by, only being assigned a book to read over the next month, which in her case, was Wuthering Heights, a book that she had actually been planning on reading. Hanna headed off to the bathroom after class, and that left Melody and Annabelle. The two walked in silence to the cafe to get some food, but, Melody settled on just a tea; She was sure if she ate anything that she would just throw it up again.

"Hey, you okay?" Annabelle asked, as they sat down at their normal table, back in the corner away from everyone else. Melody took a sip of her Peppermint tea, and then looked up.

"Hm?" She then realised what Annabelle had said after. "Oh, I'm fin – Oh, who am I kidding!" She laid her head down on the table. Annabelle looked around for a moment, before patting her awkwardly on the shoulder.

"What's wrong, Mellie Belly?" Annabelle asked, worry clear in her voice.

"Their dead." Melody mumbled, "There all dead." Annabelle's mouth fell open, shock.

"How?" She asked, then realising that she may not want to answer the question, but didn't take it back. She _really_ wanted to know.

"Serial killer." She said, bringing her head back up, a very annoyed look on her face. "The same serial killer that killed my uncle's wife and daughter." She said, her blue eye's angry, and upset.

"Oh my gosh..." Annabelle sat back, stunned. "Oh, god. I'm so sorry." Melody's look stopped anything she was going to say at that.

"Don't say that. Don't say you're sorry because you had nothing to do with it." Melody said, looking Annabelle in the eye before sitting back, and picking up her tea. "But, you will drop me off at my uncles this afternoon, right?" She asked, her voice carefree once again, like the previous conversation never happened. Annabelle nodded, a little confused at the change of subject.

"Uh, yea. Where's he live?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hullo lovely people who read my story! xD Always wanted to say something like that. So, here's chapter seven, and, and, and! I made a banner for it! Hehe, it's on my DevianART account, which is linked in my profile here **** Check it out and comment? I may make another, or a few more... Haven't figured it out yet, plus, I'm going to make one for After Glass (My MI Story)**

**Chapter Seven;;;

* * *

**

Melody sat down on the sidewalk, waiting for Annabelle to finish up with coach Selene Woods, and waiting for Jayson Blake, he was driving Annabelle and Melody to their respected homes before heading to his own apartment.

"Melody, right?" She nearly jumped at the sound of the voice he'd heard earlier. "Sorry, did I frighten you?" Melody blushed, getting up and brushing her skirt off, picking her bag up off the ground.

"It's okay, I'm just thinking." She said, looking from her shoes, to the face of Benjamin Miles. "I'm waiting for my friend, and her older brother."

"Going to her house?" Benjamin asked, taking a few steps forward, as he'd been standing rather far away.

"Oh, uh, no. Their dropping me off at my uncles." Melody corrected, wanting to slap herself. She was babbling like an idiot, something she did when she was nervous, mostly before a big test, the first day of school, a baseball game, something like that.

"Uncle huh?" Benjamin asked, the smile on his face falling, "I heard about your family, on the news," Melody raised an eyebrow, not at him knowing, but how; The News? What normal teenager read the news? Seriously?

"Really?" She asked, a confused look on her face. Benjamin seemed a little confused about the tone she'd used; Confused, and rather happy.

"Uh, yea. My mother showed me the article, as it said something about school," He confessed, as a car drove up; A black non-descript car. Melody was sure by the end of the week she was going to wish the word 'non-descript' never existed.

"Eh, that's my mum," Benjamin looked over at the car, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked, walking backwards toward the car. Melody nodded, smiling.

"Yea, tomorrow." She said, waving as Annabelle came running out of the school. "Bye," She called to Benjamin as he got in the car and his mother drove away.

"Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?" Annabelle started asking, not able to stand still; Like a nine year old on a sugar high.

"Oh, hi, Annie Belle, how are you? I'm fine, thanks for asking?" Melody said sarcastically and jokingly. Annabelle stopped bouncing on the spot, and pouted.

"What'd I say about calling me Annie Belle? _Not too._" Annabelle whined, before continuing to bounce up and down like an ADD child. Melody rolled her eyes at her friend. Annabelle was older, and _she_ was the responsible one.

"Well, it got you to stop bouncing... For a moment at least. Any way! _What_?" Melody begged, looking up at the older girl.

"I got captain!" Annabelle cheered, jumping up and down, expecting Melody to do the same, which she didn't.

"Congrats, Annabelle," Melody said, a genuine smile of her face, but she wasn't _that_ excited.

"What's with you?" Annabelle stopped bouncing again, tilting her head to the side.

"It's nothing, headache." She muttered, not wanting to talk about it.

Finally, after what felt like hours, but was only seconds, Jayson pulled up.

"Hey Annabelle, oh, hi Melody." Annabelle smiled at her brother.

"Hey Jay, uh, can you drop Melody off somewhere?" Annabelle asked Jayson, who nodded.

"Sure, where?" Melody climbed in the back of the red Porsche, telling him where Jane's apartment was. Thankfully Jayson didn't seem to care why she was going to her uncle's instead of home, or if he did, he didn't bother to ask.

The drive from school to the apartment seemed a lot longer than it had this morning, but it was also a lot louder; Annabelle was talking rapidly to Jayson, who in turn had put really good CD (Forever The Sickest Kids, This Weekend: Friday. Song: Hawkbot) on, and turned it up loud to drown his sister's babbling out. When they got to the apartment, Melody scrambled to get out, and waved goodbye before turning and letting the fake smile slip off her face.

Quickly, she ducked around a few people, heading to the elevator to go up a few floors to the room, she'd then start on her math homework, although, she was sure she wouldn't get it done. How the hell could anyone get two bloody pages of math done in _one_ night? She wasn't going to actually try, she decided. She'd get what she understood done.

When the elevator door opened, a few people walked in, Melody being the last. She stood silent in a corner until someone asked her what floor she was heading to. She told him it was the fifth floor, and then went back to being silent, digging around in her bag to find her I-Pod. The music would distract her while she was working on her math (And somehow make her work better), and it always made her feel better (Or worse, depending on the song).

"Ladies first," The man said, when the elevator hit her floor, which seemed to be his too. Melody smiled kindly, and stepped out of the elevator. The man looked familiar, but she didn't know why. He was older, a receding hair line, and looked tired, very tired. And the fact that he looked _so_ familiar wasn't helping.

"Thanks," Melody said, smiling at him once again as she dug around in her bag again, this time for her key chain. Finding it, she stopped in front of the apartment, and put the key in, hearing the familiar click of the tumblers unlocking. She put the key back in her bag, as she headed in. She stuck her head out the door to see if anyone was out there. The man from the elevator was in the hall, but, looking for a room, it seemed.

Ducking back into the room, she shut the door and headed to her room, to remove her heels and then change into a tee shirt and shorts, instead of her annoying uniform.

A few minutes later Melody emerged from her room in a pair of old shorts over a pair of leggings, a cami under a too big cropped tee shirt, and her mis-matching slippers on her feet once again. Her makeup was washed off, and her hair was pulled back into a loose bun, a few ringlets falling loose around her face. She had her I-Pod in one hand, and was in the process of making her way to the kitchen to start on her homework, when there came a knock at the door.

Sighing, Melody switched her I-Pod off, and set it on the table near the door, and then opened said door.

Standing in the doorway was the man from the elevator, and this time, Melody was sure she'd never seen him, but, yet, she knew him.

"Uh, can I help you?" _Probably not_ She thought, brushing a random curl out from in front of her eyes. The look on the man's face looked confused, yet sure of something.

"Oh, I was looking for someone, I must have the wrong apartment," He told her, "But Lisbon said it was this one," He muttered the last part, and Melody only just heard it.

"Lisbon? Teresa Lisbon?" She asked, wondering how this man knew her uncle's boss. "Wait, who are you looking for?" She wondered if it was someone from the CBI team, she knew it was only Jane who lived in this building, but she knew Lisbon lived about ten minutes away, Van Pelt about 15, and Rigsby and Cho about five.

"I'm looking for Patrick Jane, I don't suppose you know where he lives," The man told her, and Melody's eyes grew big. Who was this man? As much as she wanted to know, she didn't want to ask. But, she nearly fell back when he said he was looking for her uncle.

"Actually, I do." She told him, smiling a little, a kind of knowing smile, one Patrick Jane had on his face. A lot.

"Really? Where?" The man didn't notice the similarity between the smile on the girls face, and Jane's. And the familiar blue eyes. Melody thought of something she'd read in a book once. Someone was looking for someone, and had come to the right place, only to be greeted by the person's daughter. Smiling a little more, she held her hand out to the man, who just looked confused.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Melody Boone, Patrick Jane's neice."

* * *

Virgil Minelli was just as shocked as everyone else had been when he found out that Melody was Jane's niece, if not more, as he hadn't seen any of the team, except Lisbon, since he'd retired from the CBI months ago. Melody invited him in to wait for her uncle, since it was getting closer to five o'clock, when he said he'd be home. She herself sat down on a chair in the living room, and picked up her homework, not really sure what else to do; She didn't actually _know_ Minelli, and wasn't sure why he was here, and was sort of afraid to ask.

She took note as he moved from standing nearer to the door to the couch near the chair she was sitting in, before returning her mind to the geometry question at hand.

Only minutes after (At least, that's what the clock said) Melody had finished the third question among the thirty of so she had to do, and answering a phone call from Lisbon, the door opened to the apartment, and Melody was glad. The room was getting even more silent by the second, on the scratching of her pencil and the pages turning.

"Hello, Melod –" Jane's voice trailed off as he entered the room, seeing Minelli stand up off the couch. "Minelli?"

"Hello, Jane." Minelli's eyes smiled as did his face. "I – Uh, I guess, I need to tell you something. Alone, if we could." Both men's eyes flickered to Melody, and before Jane could say anything, she stood up with her math.

"I'll just go finish this in my room, maybe call Annabelle to get some help," She told them, grabbing her I-Pod before she left the room, heading back to her room, and closing the door, loud enough so they knew it was closed.

Melody laid her stuff out on the desk, and sat down in the chair, plugging her head phones in her ears, and turning her I-Pod on to Forever The Sickest Kids', Do Or Die.

* * *

Jane would have offered Minelli a drink, but, all he had was tea, water and milk; He was going to have to get some food. He sat down on the chair that Melody had been in a few minutes before, Minelli sitting where he had been before again.

"What was so important you had to track me down?" He asked, before the silence could get award. Minelli looked both disturbed, for a second, and annoyed. More worry lines were on his face than had been there the last time he'd seen Lisbon's old boss.

"Well, I would have told Lisbon, but, she probably wouldn't tell you." Minelli laughed a little, before his face turned stony again. "My sister's son, Greg, is a cop with the LAPD. They've gotten a lead on Red John." Jane's face, which had been pretty much the same, fell.

The Red John case was getting more and more personal every day; The psychopath had not only murdered his wife and child, but now, his sister, brother-in-law and once niece. He was starting to rethink his plan of killing Red John the way he had with his wife, Alyssa, and his daughter, Lillian. Maybe he _should_ just let Lisbon and the team catch him, and let the justice system deal with him. But who was he kidding, he _wanted_ to kill Red John, but at the same time, if he killed him, he'd get arrested, and leave Melody alone. Again.

"Minelli, I'm not sure I'm the one you should be telling this to." Jane said, almost involuntary. It was like his brain wasn't thinking it, his heart was.

Minelli was confused. The last time he'd seen Jane, he'd bugged Bosco's office to hear about the Red John case, and now he was saying that he didn't want to? He saw Jane's eye's flick towards the door that the girl had gone in a few minutes before, Melody.

"Your niece, Melody, why is she living with you?" Minelli asked, hoping maybe this would give some sort of answer. Jane's eyes looked distant for a moment, then grew cold, and came back.

"Red John. He killed my sister Anne, Melody's mother. And Melody's father and sister." Jane said, his eyes closed, opening them when he finished his sentence, looking at his old boss. "If your sister was killed, wouldn't you take in your nephew?"

Minelli thought about this for a minute, before nodding. "If he wasn't an adult now, I would." He admitted.

"So, you see my problem. As much as I want to _destroy_ Red John the way he did my family, all of it, I can't. Lisbon said she would personally arrest me, and, well, we both know Lisbon. And then I would end up leaving Melody alone, again." Jane sighed, leaning back in the chair. Minelli stood up, patting Jane awkwardly on the shoulder.

"Well, then, I do see your point. I think I'll go tell Lisbon, then all of you can catch Red John. _Together_." He told him, a little smile slipping onto his face. Jane nodded, his eyes still closed.

As soon as Jane heard the door open and close, and he knew Minelli was gone, he opened his eyes. He heard something, but, wasn't sure what. But, it sounded like it was coming from Melody's room. Maybe she had called Annabella, or whatever her friends name was to help her.

And then his phone rang. Pulling it out, he actually smiled a little when he saw it was Lisbon.

"Hello, Lisbon." Jane greeted her, not quite as cheery as normal, but after than conversation with Minelli, it was the best he was going to get.

"Whittlock escaped." Lisbon all but yelled into the phone. The whole team was rushing out of the office, heading to the cars. They had to get to Jane's.

"Help!" Jane dropped his phone when he heard the scream. Melody.


	8. Chapter 8

**Now, it's only right that I give you all **_**at least**_** one cliff hanger, so, there it was, sorry. But! I had a very good reason! If not, the chapter would never get done. Plain and simple, so, here's the next chapter! Woo? Also, I'm going to start from when Melody left the room to finish her homework.**

**Chapter Eight;;;

* * *

**

Melody gathered up her things, books and I-Pod, she'd leave the room before she could be asked, or before Jane told her she didn't have to.

"I'll just go finish this in my room, maybe call Annabelle to get some help," She told them before leaving the room, retreating to her own little hide out. She laid her stuff out on the desk, putting her head phones in and turning the I-Pod on Forever The Sickest Kids. Do Or Die.

Humming while she finished up the first page of math, she grinned. It wasn't as hard as she thought. The song had switched, and was now playing 'Jessie's Girl' from the Glee Soundtrack.

"Where can I find a woman like that," She sung quietly to herself, "Like Jessie's girl," She stood up to put her math away, she'd had enough of it for now, she'd probably finish it after dinner, or, just, well, later.

She shoved the book into her bag, and turned around when she heard something, having one head phone out at the moment.

For a second, she thought it was just the wind, but, then she heard a click. But, not just a click. The click of a gun. Turning around quickly she saw Gary Whittlock. _But, he's supposed to be in jail..._ Melody thought, her hands trembling, like they did when she was scared.

"Hello, _Melody_," Her old teacher sneered her name like it was an insult. She wondered what he wanted as he took a few steps forward, and then mentally slapped herself.

She was the one who'd gotten him locked up. She was the one who'd cause him to get caught, for murdering Mr. Grey. She was such an idiot!

She felt Whittlock swing her around, so she wasn't facing him, and felt him poke the barrel of the gun into the back of her head. She was tempted to ask why, but knew she'd probably end up dead quicker.

She took a deep breath. She had to take a chance.

"Help!" She screamed, knowing that she'd have to be loud enough to get Jane's attention, along with the neighbours.

And then two things happened at once; The door to her room was flung wide open to revel Jane standing there, looking terrified, and the butt of the gun connected with the back of her head, and then it all went black.

* * *

"Jane? Jane!" Lisbon yelled into the phone, hearing something on the other end, like a cry for help. But, that wasn't what worried her. She heard the phone hit the floor, Jane's phone. Something freaked him out enough for him to drop the phone.

"Rigsby, drive." She told the bigger man as she pulled herself into the van. They had to get to Jane's apartment, and fast.

Whittlock had managed to break out of the prison, somehow, and was headed to Jane's. To find Melody. To kill her.

What the hell kind of idiot leaves a note with his plans on it in his cell? Although, it _had_ been helpful, in more ways than one. They could save Melody before it happened, they could catch Whittlock again, and right now, Lisbon was hoping Jane didn't do anything stupid.

Jane? Why was she thinking about _Jane_ at the time at hand? Shouldn't she have been thinking about saving Melody, the girl who reminded her a little of a younger version of herself.

"Boss? Lisbon?" Lisbon shook both Jane and Melody from her mind for a moment, although she was finding that hard to do, and tried to just listen to Van Pelt.

"What exactly is the plan?" Cho asked, before Van Pelt could. Lisbon looked forward, slumping down in her seat. She'd been in such a hurry to call Jane and warn him, and get on the road to save Melody, that she'd forgotten to think of a plan.

"Oh, right. Plan..." She started muttering to herself, thinking of a plan.

"Better think fast, or think on your feet, boss," Rigsby said, as they pulled into the parking lot of Jane's apartment building.

"Just... Do whatever, as long as Melody's safe," _And Jane_. She thought to herself. Why was she thinking of _Jane_ right now? That was the second time in five minutes she'd thought of _him_ instead of the poor girl in danger. Rigsby nodded at Lisbon, and then got out of the van. Lisbon pulled her gun out, taking the safety off, seriously angry.

* * *

Whittlock was both annoyed and pleased. Annoyed because he'd wanted to shoot the girl who'd put him in jail while she was awake, so he could revel in her agony as she bled and then die. But, pleased at the same time, because he would kill two birds with one stone. Kill her, and the man in the door, an uncle perhaps, wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

The man flinched backwards when Melody's unconscious body hit the hardwood floor of her room, her curls falling around her child-like face in an almost angelic way.

Jane knew that Lisbon was on the way, the rest of the team had to be with her, she wouldn't come alone, she wasn't stupid, in fact, she was the complete opposite, she was brilliant.

Whittlock turned the gun on Jane, forgetting about Melody for a second, as the door to Jane's apartment opened. The team had shown up.

"Rigsby, Cho, stand by the door. Catch him if he tries to get out." Lisbon whispered to the two men, who nodded and took their places. Van Pelt followed Lisbon, who was just hoping they weren't too late.

"Jane," Lisbon hissed, seeing him standing in the door of Melody's room with his arms up, trying to back out of the room as quickly, and as slow, as possible. He stopped dead in his very slow moving tracks when he heard her.

A few things happened at once; Whittlock pulled the trigger on his gun, it missing Jane because he'd been moving and Whittlock hadn't noticed, Lisbon stepped where Jane was, as Van Pelt pulled him out of the way. Whittlock aimed the gun at Melody as Lisbon aimed her own at him. Lisbon and Whittlock both pulled the trigger; The bullet from Lisbon's gun hit Whittlock in the chest, his heart, and he felt backwards, whacking his head off of Melody's dresser. And Whittlock's bullet missed where he was aiming, but hit Melody's shoulder.

Cho and Rigsby ran into view when they heard the shots, taking in Whittlock on the ground, dead, and bleeding out, and Melody bleeding, a grimace forming on her face. Cho had already pulled out his phone and was calling for an ambulance when Lisbon told Rigsby to take Melody, carefully, down to wait for it.

Jane looked terrified as Rigsby gently, more gentle than one would think for a man Rigsby's size, and carried her out of the room bridal style. She was starting to come through, and was hoping she'd just pass out from the pain again.

Melody tried not to move, she didn't even know what was happening, she could only hear glimpses of whatever one was saying. She knew someone had picked her up, and she almost figured it was Rigsby, just because he was the biggest, and probably strongest. She bit her lip to keep herself from crying out in pain, and instead tried to remember what had happened.

She remembered doing homework, and going to put it away, and then... Nothing. Nothing until now, when pain had suddenly lanced through her arm, reviving her, bringing her out of her almost dream like state.

When the ambulance got there, which was only moments after Rigsby got Melody down stairs, they didn't ask any questions other than what happened.

"She was shot, and knocked unconscious, but she's coming back around," Lisbon had told them, and they'd loaded her into the back of the vehicle. As she was, Melody tried to just keep herself from crying, knowing it wouldn't help. Never did. Hadn't when she'd fallen out of a tree when she was 8 and broken her arm. Hadn't helped when she was 12 and had cut the palm of her hand open while cooking dinner.

Jane convinced Lisbon that he was fine, and that he _needed_ to go with Melody, and Lisbon, finally, agreed to it, and told him that they would meet him at the hospital. An M.E. was already there to take the body to the morgue, and told Lisbon that they would send someone over to clean up all the blood, both Melody's and Whittlocks.

Melody was put into surgery as soon as they reached the hospital, and Jane would be notified when she came out. He took a seat in the waiting room, not really knowing what else to do, not paying attention to anything.

Lisbon and Van Pelt showed up a few minutes later, Cho and Rigsby went with the people from the morgue, and to tell Hightower what had happened. Van Pelt went to get a coffee, for her and Lisbon, and Lisbon was trying to convince Jane Melody was going to be fine.

"Jane. She's going to be fine. Worst case scenario is she wouldn't be able to use her arm, but, there's like, a one in a millionth chance of that." Lisbon told him, although all he was doing was sitting with his head in his hands, so, she was sure it wasn't working. Sighing, she sat back in her chair, a bunch of emotions bottled up; Anger, annoyance, fear, pain, even a little love (Although, she wasn't sure where that had come from, but she was sure it was just at Melody).

"How do you know?" Jane asked, after a few long quiet minutes, "Something could go horribly wrong and I'll lose the last bit of family I have left." He muttered the last part so quietly Lisbon almost didn't catch it.

Lisbon was speechless; She didn't know what to tell him, other than that nothing wrong was going to happen, and that she'd be fine. For his sake, she _had_ to be.

"Jane... Jane, look at me." Lisbon told him, sitting up in the hard chair, turning, sort of, to face him. After a moment he brought his head up to look at her; He looked so tired, and almost... Scared. Why, she had no idea, but he did. And he looked older, and stressed. She looked down for a second, before looking back up at his face; Blue eyes meeting green, "Melody _will be fine_." She told him sternly, giving him a kind, but tired, reassuring smile. He returned the smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. She reached over and gave him a hug, a few seconds before Van Pelt reappeared, with coffee's for herself, and Lisbon, and a tea for Jane.

"Thanks Van Pelt,"

After... Well, everyone had lost track of time. (Wow, I felt a lot better going _into_ that sentence) Anyway! After a very long time, a doctor came in and asked for the family of Melody Boone. Jane stood up, Lisbon following, the rest of the team stayed in the waiting room, they'd find out what was what after.

"What is your relation to Ms. Boone?" The doctor, Dr. Angela Mist, asked the two.

"I'm her uncle, Patrick Jane" Jane said, and the doctor raised an eyebrow, looking at Lisbon. Jane put his arm around Lisbon's small waist, figuring this would be easier than explaining that she was his _boss_. Lisbon stiffened for a second, then relaxed. "My wife," Was all he said.

The doctor looked upset for a moment before pulling herself together; It took all Lisbon had in her not to laugh.

"Ms. Boone is doing okay, she's still under from the aesthetic, but should wake up soon." The doctor told them, as she lead them to the room that Melody was in, "She'll have to stay here for the next few days, maybe a week at the most, to see how she'd healing. And she shouldn't try to move her arm much, but, it should be fine after six to eight weeks."

Dr. Mist lead the two to a door, room number 108, and opened it, letting them go in. Melody was asleep, just at the doc had said. She didn't look like she was in pain, not any more, Jane noticed. When Rigsby had picked her up to take her out of the apartment, she'd looked like she was in so much pain, although Jane was sure she had still been unconscious, although, she could have been in between; Able to hear, and feel the pain, but not able to move, to let anyone know she was hurting other than from the look on her face.

"When she wakes up, or if something happens just push the call button on the side of the bed." Dr. Mist told them, after checking a few of the machines Melody was hooked up to, and then hurriedly leaving. Lisbon moved from Jane's side, taking his hand and pulling him to one of two chairs beside the bed.

"Sit." She told him, pointing at the chair. A quiet chuckle, and small smile came from Jane, who was glad Lisbon still had it in her to be the boss, but, still kind. He did as he was told, and pulled on Lisbon's hand a little, trying to tell her to sit down, too. When she sat down, she realized Jane still had her hand, but, he still looked so tired and upset, she didn't even think about it; She remembered being a child after her mother had died, her brothers were always wanting to hold her hand, just to reassure themselves she was still there.

After about twenty minutes, when Jane seemed to start getting impatient, Lisbon reached over and squeezed his hand, giving him yet _another_ reassuring smile. This time he returned it, the smile reaching his eyes.

"Hmm?" The sound comes from Melody, who's stirring in her sleep, her hands (Well, hand, really) clenching and unclenching for a few minutes, before relaxing and her eye lids fluttered open.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey ! So, I'm thinking maybe 6 more chapters, to make 15, and an epilogue, like, 15 years later, in Melody's life. Haven't decided on the latter yet, but, still. Also, maybe a sequel ? If I can think of something, maybe... On another note, my cat Dobby is staring at me like I'm crazy... And he's the one upside down... Anyway, enjoy, and remember to review !**

**Chapter Nine;;;

* * *

**

Melody wasn't exactly sure what had happened.

She remembered... What _did_ she remember? She thought, trying to remember what had happened. It was so _frustrating_. She'd never had this happ – Yes, she had. When she'd broken her arm, they'd knocked her out, and she hadn't remembered what happened.

She heard someone shifting near her, but she couldn't open her eyes yet, she was still tired. But, she wanted to know what had happened, so she had to wake up.

"Hmm?" She heard herself mumble, clenching and unclenching her hands, to make sure they worked. She took a fairly deep breath to clear her head, and then let her eye lids flutter opened.

She waited a minute, to let her eyes focus, and when they didn't, and everything was still fuzzy, she tried to sit up, and moved the wrong away, and gasped.

"Ow, okay, not doing that again," She said aloud, not realizing who was in the room. "Ow..." She grimaced again as she managed to get herself sitting up, happy with that, blinking a few more times to clear her vision. After a few minute's it was cleared, and she could see that she was in a hospital, which would explain why the bed was so... Well, stiff and uncomfortable. And the walls were a pale yellow, a colour that Melody really didn't like.

She hadn't noticed anyone else was in the room until Jane cleared his throat to get her attention. She turned her head to the side.

"Hi," She said, quietly, trying to remember what had happened, and it just have shown on her face because Lisbon gave her a look that said, 'Don't try too hard,' which Jane voiced a few seconds later.

"Don't worry about not remembering, it's probably just the drugs they've got you on." He said, not a trace of worry in his voice, at least he was good at that, when he wanted to. Melody nodded, still a little groggy, but, she _had_ just woken up.

"How long was I asleep?" She asked, before another question popped into her head, "And, what happened?" Both Jane and Lisbon looked at each other, which was a little strange, Melody thought, but, at least they might answer her questions.

"They put you on some anaesthetic's when they got you here, maybe 5 hours ago, maybe longer." Lisbon answered before Jane could, "As for what happened, all I know is that Whittlock escaped, left a note saying he wanted to kill the person who got him locked up, who he thought was you. When the team and I got there, you were unconscious on the floor with a gun pointed at you. I shot Whittlock, and he shot you. The bullet didn't hit anything that was going to do you any major harm." Melody nodded slowly, as Jane reached over on the side of the bed and hit the call button, that he'd just remembered he and Lisbon had been instructed to push when Melody woke up.

No one says anything in the few minutes it takes for the nurse, not Dr. Mist, to get to the room. She smiles gently at the three people in the room, knowing exactly what to do, it seems. She lowered the dosage of Morphine just a bit, so Melody wouldn't be falling asleep from it, and checked a bunch of other things.

"How are you feeling, dear?" The nurse asked Melody, who wanted to shrug, but couldn't.

"Sore, and still a little tired, but I'm sure that'll go away." She muttered, not sure what else to say. The nurse nodded.

"Just try not to move your arm and shoulder around too much and you'll be fine." The nurse smiled again, kindly, looking from Melody to Jane and Lisbon. "You must have given your parents quiet the fright." Melody's eyes grew, and then coughed a bit, in surprise.

"They're not my parents," She said, slowly, looking over at the pair who were seated next to her bed, a confused, and a little annoyance, look on her face. The nurse didn't move, her face turning stony.

"I'm her uncle," Jane said, a moment after looking the nurse's face over; Reading her. The nurse accepted that, only assuming they were her parents because Melody and Jane looked enough alike.

"Her aunt," Lisbon managed to squeak out without sounding like she was lying; She'd learned over the years it was hard to lie when you were in shock, fear or just plain pain.

The nurse seemed to buy it, which was good, considering only half of it was a lie.

"Dr. Mist will come by a little later to check up on you." The nurse told them – Through clenched teeth none the less! – before turning and leaving the room in a hurry. Melody looked from the door to her uncle and his boss.

Jane was grinning. '_Of course he is,_' Lisbon though, rolling her eyes at him.

"What'd you do?" Melody asked, leaning back against a pillow, wincing as her arm moved. A look of concern flashed over Jane's face for a moment, and then he was smiling again.

"It was much easier than explaining that Lisbon was my boss," He shrugged, chuckling. Lisbon hit him in the arm, muttering something like 'Was not.' Melody smiled, laughing a little.

"Hey, Jane, why don't you go tell Van Pelt, Rigsby and Cho Melody's awake." Lisbon suggested; She had to ask Melody a few questions, and didn't want Jane pestering either one of them. He shrugged, again, and stood up.

"Sure, why not." He said, walking towards the door. After he closed it, Melody's gaze went from the door to Lisbon, who smiled at her.

"How long do I have to be here?" She asked, suddenly, before she forgot the question on her mind. She saw Lisbon's eyes flick to the door for some reason, before going back to Melody and a flicker of something flashed over her face before disappearing.

"The doctor said a week at the most, but probably only a few days." Lisbon told her, a kind reassuring smile on her face. "But, I have to ask you a few questions, " Lisbon sighed, looking down at the floor for a minute.

"That's why you wanted to get uncle Patrick to go tell the others I was awake, right?" Melody asked, as Lisbon looked up. "Yup, knew it." She cracked a smile, the look on Lisbon's face had given it away. "I watch a lot of TV sometimes, and I'm good with micro expressions. Anyway, ask away." Lisbon shook the thought from her head, not having a clue what Melody was talking about, but, let it go.

"Do you have _any_ idea what happened back there?" Melody closed her eyes, trying to remember, she was starting to.

"I remember that a guy showed up at the door after I got home, but, he knew Uncle Patrick. I went to my room to finish my math, when Uncle Patrick got home, so, he could talk to, uh, Minelli, I think that's what he said his name was." Melody opened her eyes to look at Lisbon, who looked a little surprised. "I finished the first page of my math, and I went to put it away, and I remember hearing something, and turning around. I saw Mr. Whittlock, and he had a gun. I freaked out when he was poking me with it, and I screamed 'Help'. Uncle Patrick showed up maybe 5 seconds later, and then something hit me. That's all I remember, really, uh, before."

Melody'd mentioned Minelli. Why would _Minelli_ go to see _Jane_? Lisbon wondered, before shoving the thought from her head, but making a mental note to call her old boss and ask him.

"When did you start to come around?" She asked, glancing at the door, to see if Jane was coming back, which he wasn't, thank god.

"I'm not exactly sure, but, when I did, there was this _really_ sharp pain in my shoulder. So, probably _after_ I was shot, I'd say. I didn't hear any shots, either. The pain probably pulled me through; Although, I couldn't move or anything, and I could only hear bits and pieces." Melody stated, shifting a little in the bed, moving to face Lisbon, and moving her legs so she was sitting camp fire style. Lisbon nodded again, and was about to ask a third question when Jane came back into the room.

"Hightower called Cho and asked them to come in, but, she said you can stay. Or, that's what Cho said, at least." He told Lisbon, before moving to sit down again. "So, what were you two ladies talking about?" He asked, a smirk on his face.

"I was just asking Teresa when I'd be able to get out of here, and if maybe you or her could bring my phone up, I kinda want to let Hanna and Annabelle know, and Jenna, Tara and Becca." Melody jumped in before Lisbon could. Jane nodded, slowly, as if not buying it.

"Sure, they'll probably kick me out for a while sooner or later; Most of the staff doesn't seem to take to kindly to me." He joked.

"That's probably from when you insulted them last time you were here, when you had another cop bring you to the office, when you were told by pretty much every one you shouldn't be working because you were _blind_ at the time." Lisbon scowled at him for a moment. Melody raised an eye brow.

"Long story short; A bomb blew up in his face because he was too stubborn to move away from the van with the _very large bomb_." Lisbon explained. "He was supposed to stay here for few days, until he could see again, but he drove everyone nuts, and somehow got out." Jane smirked again, and leaned back in the chair.

"Do you know how horrible those beds are? Plus, really, what was I to do? _Listen_ to the television?"

* * *

It was the fifth day that Melody was in the hospital, June 2nd. She'd ended up here on the 29th of May, and she was sure she was going crazy. Jane and Lisbon stopped by every day, and the staff was starting to get fed up with her uncle, again, but, let him stay because Melody wanted him there, and Lisbon had told them he _had_ to. It was almost comical, both girls making sure that he wasn't getting into any trouble.

Mostly she'd just talked to Lisbon when she was in, texted her friends and slept, but, it was fine. Lisbon sometimes brought her some different food, since the hospital food sucked, and she was stuck there for a week. At one point, they'd nearly kicked Lisbon and Jane out of the hospital room because Jane was being an idiot, and 'Melody needed her rest', which was totally untrue.

'_I'm losing hope cause she's so lost in stereo, lost in stereo._' Melody thought as she listened to her I-Pod, which the nurse had gotten mad at her about for no bloody reason. Humming, she picked up her phone as it vibrated. Sitting up and crossing her legs again, she wondered who was texting her at _11:31 pm_.

_Hi Melody. I'm sure you're wondering who this is, and how I got your phone number. It's Benjamin Miles, from your English class. Hanna and Annabelle gave me your phone number, well, actually, they pretty much stole my phone and put it in, and I, and them, wanted to know – Well, you know about the prom, right? And you'll be out of the hospital by then, right? Well, I was wondering if maybe, you, uh, wanted to go? With me? If not that's fine, your friends are really persistent, by the way._

_-Benjamin._

She read and re-read the text message, blinking, and not believing it for a few minutes. The light was off, since she was supposed to be sleeping, or at least trying, if she wasn't the Doctor, Dr. Mist, said she would put her on sleeping pills, which Melody hated, as they made her really groggy in the morning. The small amount of light from her phone only enough to light up her hands and the blanket that was laying of her legs.

Her finger hovered over the reply button for a minute, and then the icon showed up to show she had another text. Sighing, she went to read the new one.

_MELODY! Have you answered Ben? Please tell me you told him yes! Your uncle would let you go, right? Although, I shouldn't be asking you at almost midnight, as you are probably asleep... Anyway, answer me! – Hanna and Annabelle_

Melody sighed and laid back against the pillows. Why did Hanna and Annabelle want her to go to the prom with Benjamin? Her fingers flicked over few buttons, going back to the text she had gotten a few minutes pervious.

She sent him a one word reply.

_Yes._


	10. Chapter 10

**So, I'm back in school, now, and updates my come a little slower, and I've kind of had writers block on this chapter for a few days, but, I'm back working on it again ! Well, I rewrote the beginning, which was all I had done...**

**Chapter Ten**;;;;

It had been two weeks since, well, pretty much everything had happened; Red John killing again, Melody being shot, and school becoming a stranger.

Jane had agreed to let Melody go to prom as long as she was getting better, which she was doing remarkably quickly. After a few days, when she got out of the hospital, Grace had volunteered to take her shopping for a dress, since Van Pelt did have to go shopping herself.

It wasn't until Tuesday that Melody got back to school, and when she did, everyone was asking her questions; What happened? Did you _really_ get shot? Is Mr. Whittlock dead? Annabelle finally got them all to leave, Hanna making sure they stayed away for a few minutes so they could get Melody to class.

"So, what actually happened, Melody? There's, like, a dozen rumours going around, and I really don't want to believe most of them." Hanna asked, after she walked into Ms. Van Pelts room, closing the door behind her. Melody's arm was in a sling, Jane's orders, and it was starting to drive her nuts.

"It's fuzzy, and I don't remember a lot of it." She lied, very well, I might add. "I remember going to my room to finish my math, and going to put away. I heard something, and turned around to see what it was, and it was Mr. Whittlock, and he had a gun."

"He got out of jail?" Hanna and Annabelle shrieked at the same time, causing Melody to crack up, but she nodded.

"Yea, don't ask me how, because no one will tell me." She told them, a bit annoyed at that fact, he _had_ tried to kill her, and she couldn't even know how he got out. "Anyway, he had a gun, and I screamed, Uncle Patrick opened the door, and then a sharp pain in the back of my head. I figured it was probably a good five minutes, at least, before my shoulder felt like it was on fire. I blacked out and woke up in the hospital with Teresa and Uncle Patrick there." She left out the part where she'd been awake, unable to move, but awake, for most of it after being shot and getting to the hospital.

They bought the story, at least, and when the bell rang, went to their seats, a look of annoyance, and sadness on their faces, and Hanna looked happy, a little, but probably just because she was going to prom that night with James, and would probably spend the entire time attached to his hip, like they often were at school; They'd been best friends since pre-k.

"James Anderson. Gabriel Baker. Annabelle Blake. Melody Boone." Andrea Van Pelt started going through the list of names, for attendance. There were about twenty people in the homeroom, and only Sophie and Alyson Lucas were missing, and everyone (Except Melody) knew they'd gone on vacation to England with their parents and older brother, Jamie.

After a few more minutes the bell for first period rang, and everyone gathered up their things and left the room, heading to whatever class they had.

* * *

Classes went by quickly, and all of the teachers didn't bother assigning homework, as they knew it wouldn't end up getting done, since it was prom that night.

At lunch, everyone had been talking about plans, getting last minute dates, or talking to their dates about what they were wearing, so, they would be similar, but not matching.

Melody was one of the few who didn't really care about that, and was just eating lunch (A very small lunch). Sipping at her tea, she watched as Hanna was babbling, talking to James, who just sat there, sometimes throwing in his opinion, and nodding and, well, just, being himself. Annabelle was off somewhere with Nate Hazel, her date, a good looking computer geek. Neither Benjamin or Melody were really saying anything, and neither were Hiromi or Taylor, who were like twins in a strange way, or Blaze and Blake, who were step brothers.

"So, Mel, what are you wearing tonight?" Taylor broke the awkward (And getting more and more so by the nano second) silence, after finishing her last bite of pizza. Melody grinned, and shook her head.

"Surprise," She told them, laughing a little when Romi's face fell. Both Romi and Tay were hugely into fashion, wanting to be models, or fashion designers. "But, it matches the theme." She tacked on; The theme being A Night In Vegas.

"Mine and Tay's are matching," Romi announced, "Mostly. Ish. Matchy-ish." Benjamin, who seemed far too out of the conversation, couldn't help but laugh a little. Romi and Tay were always being matchy. It was just their thing, almost every day. On Halloween, they'd dressed up as black and white angels. Romi was white, because her hair was black, and Tay was black, because her hair was blonde.

"Let me guess, matching hand bags, too?" Melody threw it in, laughing along with Benjamin a little. The two nodded at the same time, which cause all four of them to start laughing more.

"What are all of you laughing at?" Hanna asked, who had finally stopped babbling to James.

"Tay and Romi's prom outfits are matching. Sorta, sorta matchy matchy." Melody told them, as she wasn't laughing quite as much. "Matching hand bags and all," She chuckled, taking another sip of her tea as the bell rang. Last period, and then free.

"You guys want to meet out front for the free? Just sit and talk, and wait for school to be over?" They all agreed, and today, Melody was getting a ride home from Tay, who was going to Romi's, who was in the same building as Jane, on the seventh floor.

"Okay,"

* * *

Melody's last class was English, but, they were watching a video, so, all she had to do was sit there and stare blankly at a screen. Benjamin sat next to her, so, at least she had someone to talk to, quietly, but, still.

"So, you never answered my last question. Why did you say yes to me? I mean, I'd only met you once, and had only been that day." Benjamin asked, randomly, after about ten minutes of the video. Melody turned her face towards him, leaning on her good arm.

"What?" She asked, before realizing what he'd said. "Oh, well, after I got your text, Hanna and Annabelle texted me, telling me something like, they really wanted me to tell you yes, and, I thought, why not? I mean, it's not like anyone else was going to ask me, and I know you don't know too many people." She told him, not completely convinced herself, but, whatever. She saw him nod, and look forward, sighing to himself.

"That's not completely true..." She muttered to herself. "Plus, your sweet, kind, cute, and smart. Everything a girl wants in a guy. Or, at least, this girl." She told him, before looking forward herself. She could see out of the corner of her eye, that he was now smiling, which caused her to smile.

She saw now exactly what they were watching, Extraordinary Measures. Melody had actually been meaning to watch the movie for a while now, but had never gotten around to it.

While half paying attention to the movie, and half not, the hour passed quickly, and sooner than she figured, and Ms. Valentine was dismissing the class. Melody stuffed her binder into her bag, one handily, and grabbed her bag, pushing her chair in with the side of her leg.

"Now, let's go meet the others, shall we?" Melody asked Benjamin, as they exited the class room, heading outside for their weekly free period.

When they got outside, which was very sunny, Hiromi and Taylor are already out there, talking, and a bright blue I-Pod hanging between them, and Romi was writing something up.

"Hey girlie! And Ben." Taylor laughed at Hiromi, and then a strange look dawned on her face, and she wrote something else down.

"Hey girls, what are you doing?" Melody asked, sitting next to them, on top of the picnic table they always sat at during frees.

"Writing up the music list for tonight. Any requests?" Taylor handed the list over to Melody, who looked it over, and held her hand out for the pen, before writing a few song names on the list; Crazy For This Girl. Good Girls Go Bad. Brand New Day.

Smiling contently, she handed the pen and list back over. Romi grinned at her choices, and nodded.

"Epic songs, Mel." Taylor looked over Hiromi's shoulder, smiling.

"Hey!" Hanna called out from the doors of the school, running over. Melody glanced around quickly, there was like no one outside. Of course, most people tended to hang around out behind the school, not out front like them.

"You seen Annabelle?" Romi asked, as Hanna collapsed onto the ground near the picnic table.

"Talking to coach." Hanna told them, putting her hands under her head.

"Again?" Taylor asked, a confused look on her face.

"Yea, well, she _did_ get captain for next year." Melody pointed out, moving onto the bench of the picnic table, and leaning back, her bag sat on the ground in front of her, with everyone else's.

"So, what's the plan for tonight?" Benjamin asked, turning to Romi and Tay, who were pretty much in charge of plans and such for the prom; Prom committee had kept them busy for the past week or so.

Both girls started grinning and explaining.

"Well, firstly, dancing, you guys all have to dance! And slow dance!"

"And then prom king and queen will be announce around nine, and princess and prince."

"Princess and prince being runner ups." Hanna explained to Benjamin from the confused look on his face.

"Yea, what Hann said. And there's going to be a way with everyone's name on it, on poker chips!"

"By everyone, just the grade tens, since it's _our_ prom."

"Oh! And you'll be able to play poker, but, not actually for money,"

Hiromi and Taylor kept doing that, explaining, going back and forth, finishing each other's sentences until Annabelle showed up, when there was only about five minutes left until school was over.

"What took you so long?" Hanna asked, when she finally showed up with Nate, dragging him along.

"Hey Nate," Melody smiled at the boy who was very clearly smitten with Annabelle. "Hey Annabelle."

"Hi guys!" Annabelle grinned, "Coach wanted me to show Mel's replacement a few things; Took longer than Coach and I thought." Melody frowned; She hated having the feeling she was being replaced, but, she clearly couldn't play, not now, and probably not for a while.

"Well, you didn't miss much. Romi and Tay were filling us in on plans for tonight." Hanna informed the two, a whole ten seconds before the bell rang. A bunch of kids flooded out of the school, all looking similar, the whole uniform thing was really annoying.

"Well, that's good!" Annabelle was gigging, and way too giddy.

"Annabelle?" Melody asked, slipping off the bench, and tilting her head to the side. "What'd you have?" Annabelle frowned, dramatically, and laughed a little more.

"Nothing at all, I'm high on life." She chuckled at her 'joke', "Actually, energy drink. You'd think after last time I would have remembered not to, but, well, I forgot." She giggled, yet again, and sighed, grabbing Nate's hand and pulling him towards the buses.

"Wow..." Benjamin muttered, looking at everyone else. "I should go too, mum's working, so I have to take the bus." He told them, waving before following Annabelle and Nate. "See you all tonight,"

"Bye!" Melody called after him, turning to face the girls, who were getting rides. "And now we wait." She muttered.

It was about 3:45 before Tay's mom showed up, and by then Hanna had already left. The three girls piled into Mrs. Jamison's car, who drove them to Romi's in record time. Tay hugged her mom while the other girls climbed out.

"See ya mom!" Tay smiled before heading inside with Romi and Melody. "So, fifth floor, Ms. Boone?" Tay joked, as they got into the elevator. It was empty, for once.

"Why yes, Ms. Jamison." She laughed, pulling the strap of her bag up her shoulder again.

Taylor and Hiromi kept talking about what they would do with their hair, and make up and such, and told Melody that she should straighten her hair for the night, and, although that sounded nice, she was sure she wouldn't; Her hair took forever to do so, and Elizabeth always used to help her.

Getting to her floor, Melody hugged the girls before saying she'd see them later, and proceeding to try and find the key to the apartment in her bag, and finally unlocking the door.

She'd convinced Jane to let her take the sling off that night, since the doctors told her she could any time, as long as she was careful; Her arm had been healing perfectly, and the only thing that showed she'd even been injured was the scar, which she knew would be there forever.

She went to her room, to grab a few things before heading to have a shower. Jane had told her he might be home later, since they had a case, but, should be back before six thirty, and in time to drive her to prom.

Easing her arm out of the sling, she unwrapped the bandages, and proceed to pull the dress out of the closet and lay it on her bed, along with her shoes, rainbow zebra striped heels, and the wrap she would wear there.

* * *

Her shower was quicker than expected, her arm was still tender, and, as much as the water was nice, her arm wanted out. She dried off best she could before disappearing into her room, to throw on some sweat pants and a tee shirt, before going to the kitchen to grab a glass of Pepsi, and to make a sandwich.

She was sitting at the table, her head bobbing to music, again; She'd grabbed her I-Pod to listen to while she got ready, which at the moment she was just killing time. It was only 4:45, and it wouldn't take her an hour and a half to get ready, maybe an hour at the most.

After finishing her dinner, which was small, like most meals she seemed to be eating lately, it was only five, so, she was good on time, but, had decided to straighten her hair, or, at least her bangs.

Humming, she washed the plate and cup she'd used, and then dried and put them away before going back to her room.

She quickly ran a brush through her curls, and plugged her straightener in and started pulling curls back, pinning them up on the back of her head.

Successfully pinning ninety percent of her hair up on the back of her head, and her bangs about as straight as they were going to get, Melody set to work on her makeup; Purple, to match the rest of her outfit.

Melody's outfit was pretty much all purple; Dress, purple and black, make up, purple and pink, shoes, rainbow, earrings, black and purple, even her nail polish was purple.

Content with her makeup and hair, she quickly changed from the sweats and tee shirt to her dress; A purple and black knee length, and strap less. It almost reminded Melody of a fairy, a longer purple and black Tinkerbell dress almost.

Melody pulled on the black tights she was going to wear, and then heard the door of the apartment close. Jane was home and, Melody glanced at the clock, before six thirty, too. Smiling to herself, she put her anklet, bracelet, and necklace's on, and switched out her earrings, before putting her heels on.

She grabbed her purse, and pulled the wrap over her shoulders, before taking a deep breath and leaving her room.

"Hi," She smiled at Jane, who she'd found sitting on a chair in the kitchen, looking a little bored, and amused at the same time. She twirled around in a little circle, smiling, remembering she'd done that as a little girl, playing dress up with her sister and friends.

"You look lovely,"

* * *

Melody showed up at the school just on time, most people were just arriving, most just with their parents, but, a few, like Romi and Tay, with friends.

Jane told her he'd pick her up no later than ten, unless they got another lead, in which case he would call her, and then she could get a ride with Romi and Tay.

She got out of the little blue car, and went looking for two matching girls, laughing when she found them. They were defiantly matching, one golden, one silver. Strapless higher than knee length sequin covered dresses, one gold, one silver. It was actually amusing to see them, although they were like that a lot.

"Melody!" Taylor grinned, pulling Hiromi over to her, and hugging her. "Ohmigosh! You look _awesome_. Doesn't she look awesome?"

"Tay, calm down," Melody laughed, smiling as she pulled the two towards the door, as people were starting to go inside.

"I'm loving the dress, Mel," Hiromi told her, digging around in her silver-ish clutch for her student id, and ticket, Taylor doing the same.

"Thanks," She said, showing the lady at the door her id, and giving her the ticket. She stood off to the side until the other two got through. They headed to the kind of coat room, room 130, to drop off their purses, and Melody's shawl.

Thankfully, Melody noticed, neither girl gasped, or made any note of the scar on her shoulder, which caused her smile to grow even bigger.

Taylor and Hiromi linked arms with Melody, one on either side, as they headed to find Annabelle and Hanna, who they knew were probably with Nate and James.

A lot of guys were sitting at tables playing poker, and drinking soda, and a lot of the girls were dancing together, in large groups.

"Over here," Taylor spotted Annabelle and Hanna, who were alone, it seemed, maybe the boys had yet to arrive.

"Hey Hanna, hey Annabelle." Melody smiled, seeing the girls were playing cards. "Mind if we join?"

"Sur – Wow, Melody! I _love_ your dress." Annabelle grinned; Her own dress was red, and she was carrying a red purse, that looked like it was covered with red roses. Her shoes were red pumps, with really skinny silver heels, and she was wearing the peace bracelet Hanna had bought her for her 14th birthday.

Hanna's outfit was more simple; A rosy pink tube top dress with a black belt around the middle. Her shoes were gold and strappy heels, and her bag a bright yellow clutch. Her makeup was just eye liner and mascara, and pink lipstick. Her jewellery only being bangles and a long necklace.

"Thanks, I love your too! Both of you," Melody smiled, sitting down across from Hanna, who took the cards back, and started dealing them.

"Uh, let's _not_ play poker," Hanna told them, a nervous smile on her face. "I don't like poker,"

"Okay, crazy eights, then." Annabelle agreed, taking a sip of her diet 7-Up.

They played about two games of crazy eights before the boys arrived, all dressed pretty similar.

Benjamin was wearing a black suit jacket, and a white button down, along with black dress pants, and black high tops. He was wearing a simple dark purple necktie that was tied rather loosely.

James was wearing pretty similar, but he wasn't wearing a jacket, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his shoulders, and he was wearing black dress shoes. His tie was just plain black.

Nate was the different one. His pants were black, and so were his shoes, and jacket, but, his shirt was black with red buttons, and his tie was the same red as Annabelle's dress. And, he was holding a red corsage for Annabelle, who was clearly happy about that.

James and Benjamin both had corsage's for Hanna and Melody, James' for Hanna being a plain white rose, and Benjamin's being yellow with red tips.

Before anyone could do anything other than give or receive a corsage, Taylor and Hiromi pretty much dragged everyone over to dance, excited about the song.

_I know your type, your daddy's little girl,  
Just take bite (One bite)  
Let me shake up your world  
'Cause just one night couldn't be so wrong,  
I'm gonna make you lose control._

Melody laughed at Romi and Tay dancing, or, rather just jumping up and down, laughing.

_Oh, she got away with the boys in the place,_  
_Treat them like they don't stand a chance._  
_And he got away with the girls in the back,  
Acting like their too hot to dance.  
Oh, she got away with the boys in the place,  
Treat them like they don't stand a chance.  
And he got away with the girls in the back,  
Acting like their too hot to dance._

The song finished and it switched to a slow song, _More Than Words_ by Extreme. A few people moved off to the side, not wanting to dance, but most people grabbed their dates and started dancing. Melody and Benjamin tried to move off to the side, but, Hiromi and Taylor wouldn't see that, so, they were stuck dancing, which wasn't bad, actually.

The night went by quickly, and soon, Hiromi and Taylor were off to announce the Prom King and Queen, and Prince and Princess.

"Can we have your attention?" Hiromi asked, standing on the stage, next to the DJ, who was a grade eleven student. He turned the current song, Ridin' Solo, down, so you could hearing Romi and Tay better.

"Okay, so, everyone voted for someone for prom king and queen over the past few weeks, as you could vote for _any_one." Taylor continued.

"So, we tallied the votes at recess today, and have got the results right here." She waved a pink envelope, before starting to open it.

"And your Prom Prince and Princess are,"

"Andrew Black and Jessie Jack!" The smiling couple made their way to get the smaller crowns, before moving off to the side to get pictures taken.

"And prom King and Queen are..."

"It's a tie?" Everyone started murmuring, confused.

"Okay, well, then, Prom Kings and Queens are Hanna Greene and James Anderson."

"And Annabelle Blake and Nate Hazel!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Wow, chapter ten was long... I thought I'd never get it done. But, I did! And yea... Five chapters left!**

**Chapter Eleven;;;;

* * *

**

Prom had been pretty amazing, they'd all spent the last hour dancing, and trying to find the poker chips with their names on it. Then said their good-byes, saying they'd see each other on Monday, and then, well, went home.

Melody was exhausted when Jane finally got to pick her up, after the rest of her friends had left, and probably would have fallen asleep still in her dress, but, well, any girl whose done that knows it's not the best idea in the world. She quickly changed out of the dress, which ended up in a heap on the floor, and would probably be there until she remembered at three o'clock the next day, and then into an old pair of sweat pants and an old too big band shirt that she used to wear all the time, back in Texas.

She slept pretty good that night, much better than she had in the hospital, and even better than she had since she gotten back from the hospital. What had surprised her when she'd gotten back, was the lack of mess than had been in her room before, and the bed.

Instead of the plain bedding than had been there, and would have been there until Melody could build up the courage to go back to the house – _Her_ house – and get some new blankets and sheets and such, it _was_ her bedding. The pink sheets had given it away.

Melody had been given pink bedding by her great grandmother a month before she'd passed away from a heart attack, and wouldn't trade the for the world, so she said. When they needed to be washed, she used different ones, but they only were on until the pink was clean. And the large patchwork quilt. Becca, Jenna, Tara and her had needed to make something for a project, and in the end, a patchwork quilt became the project, which became Melody's blanket.

After climbing under the familiar blankets and sheets, Melody was asleep within minutes for once, she'd nearly always had trouble with falling asleep quickly, it usually took her a while. The last time she'd fallen asleep that quickly was the night her family had been killed, after she'd gotten back from baseball practice.

She woke up pretty early than morning, around 3 or 4, a quiet, but annoying, constant beeping coming from her phone. Melody groaned quietly before rolling out of bed and almost landing on her butt. She chuckled to herself, still half asleep, she was sure, and grabbed her SideKick, checking the new message. From... Becca?

It was normally Tara and Jenna who texted Melody, rarely Becca, unless with big news. Jenna had gotten her phone literally moments before Melody and her family had left, and had been texting the poor girl the whole drive, which, was pretty nice of her. Tara had gotten her phone a week or so before, and Becca had gotten hers way before, in case anything happened, being a diabetic and all.

_Hi Melody. Look, I know it's pretty early, at least in Cali, it is, but, Jenna is bouncing off the walls, (Tara bought her an energy drink again) and Tara is currently on her fourth glass of Pepsi, so, I decided I might as well be the one to ask/tell you._ Melody was half way through the text, and way confused, but kept reading. _So, mom and dad are coming to Sacramento to visit a family friend, and as you know, your birthday is ever approaching, but, none of us are sure if we'll be able to make it in August, so, we convinced Tara and Jenna's parents to let them come with Marg, mom dad and I to Cali. We're coming to visit!_

Melody almost dropped her phone, and fumbled with it (It ended up on the bed), and blinked a few times. They were coming to visit? _They_ were coming to _visit_. Wow. That would be one of the few times, yes, she'd gone back home to visit, but ,they rarely, if ever, came out to California to visit her.

Ah, but they had a good reason now, didn't they? Melody sighed, before going to sit on her bed again, moving her phone to the stand beside her bed, and lying on her back, staring at the ceiling, feeling her eyelids grow heavy with sleep again.

Thank god it was Saturday.

* * *

When Melody woke up again, she rolled out of bed. Literally.

She'd clearly forgotten where she was, or what time it was, because when she hit the hardwood floor, she was looking around like 'What the _heck_ happened?'. Then it dawned on her, again.

She was at Jane's, which was hers too, in a way. She'd woken up _way_ to early that morning, and then fallen asleep again. The text from Becca. Becca... And Jenna. And Tara.

Oh god. They were coming to visit, and she'd only been back to the house – _Her_ house – a handful of times, three, at the most.

Rushing to get off the floor, she grabbed her phone, pressing a random button to check the time – She was going to need to get a clock in the room – and sighed when she saw the time.

Eight fifteen. She hadn't even woken up late. That was _soo_ Melody like.

She stretched, and reached up to touch her head, remembering it would probably look like a rats nest, like it did most mornings, and was sure it was this morning.

She grabbed the brush off the floor, where it must have fallen during the night, and yanked it through her curls, before tying them back with a light pink ribbon, and glancing in the mirror. She had black marks under her eyes from the mascara and eye liner she hadn't been able to get off the night before, and grabbed a makeup wipe, and made a face at the amount that had been on her face through the night.

She straightened her tee shirt out, smiling when she realized what she was wearing, and chuckled at the memory.

_It was December 22__nd__, Becca Abbey's 10__th__ birthday, and she was taking her three best friends, Jenna Radcliffe, Tara Howell and Melody Boone, and her younger sister, Margret Abbey, who was 8 at the time, to a concert, although Melody wasn't one hundred percent who it was that was playing, she was sure it would be awesome none the less. All of the girls had bought tee shirts from different bands playing, and Melody had chosen one that was bright, and colourful, not that they all weren't, but, still_

She smiled, before noting the little white box that said 'Melody Jessica Boone' in large black letters, below it in smaller black letters 'Mellie Bellie'. It had been one of her going away presents, a friend ship ring. It was simple and silver, and said '_Live. Love. Laugh._' In black, that was also engraved in the ring. She hadn't worn it a lot, ever, not wanting to lose it, but, for some reason, she felt like she really should wear it now. When the girls showed up, for them.

She slipped the ring on her left hand, ring finger (She hated wearing rings on her right hand for some reason) and then headed out of her room. She'd just woken up, and it didn't really matter what she looked like, well... Sort of, that being the point of brushing her messy head of curls.

Melody yawned as she headed to the kitchen, to get something to eat, and then talk to Jane about going back to the house, she'd try to clean some stuff up, decide what she was going to keep, and what she would give away (She wouldn't _dare_ sell pretty much any of it.).

"Good morning," Melody almost jumped when Jane greeted her, happily.

"Morning," She managed, between a yawn, blinking sleep out of her eyes. She gave her uncle a friendly smile and then headed to the fridge to grab a frozen waffle or two. She'd always liked those for some reason. She put them in the toaster, and then got a plate and fork out, and poured herself a glass of orange juice. "Any plans today?" Melody asked, after swallowing a sip of her OJ. Jane shrugged, knowing, it seemed, that Melody had something she wanted to do.

"Nope, you have anything you want to do?" He asked, smirking, as if he'd actually read her mind. Melody rolled her eyes, smiling a little, yawning again, and jumping when the waffles popped out of the toaster.

"Maybe," She said, elongating the word, as she pulled the waffles out of the toaster, pretty much throwing them from one hand to another, before dropping them on her plate, and pouring some syrup on them, drowning them, rather. "Actually, at about 4 am, Becca told me that her, Margaret, Jenna, and Tara are coming to Sacramento, her mom and dad need to visit someone, and I was wondering, if maybe I could go over to my house, and maybe start clearing some stuff out." She told him, before taking a bite of syrup covered waffles.

Jane, of course, saw no objection to that. There was no reason to put it off; They were already as good as buried (and would actually be buried on Sunday). "Sure, do you want me to help? Or you want to do it yourself?" He asked, getting up to put his tea cup in the sink, having finished it as Melody had come in.

"I'd kinda rather do it alone." She told him, smiling weakly. Although she was sure she wasn't going to get that much done, she might as well start, as she really couldn't put it off much longer. Jane nodded, he understood. Some things were better done alone.

"Okay, I'll drop you off, and you can call me to come pick you up later." He told her, before a smile slipped on to his face, showing the next part was serious, yet he was joking, "Although, if you don't call before 6 o'clock, I'm coming to get you any way."

* * *

Melody had switched out her pj's for a blue sun dress with a big brown belt around the middle, and opting to wear her bathing suit, maybe take a swim while at the house, clear her head. She slipped on a pair of light, yet sturdy high tops, and pulled her hair into a high pony tail, letting a few stray curls fall around her face, before brushing them out of the way again.

She grabbed her phone, and her I-Pod, throwing them in a random bag she had grabbed, small and bright, like her.

It turned out, that even though Saturday was supposed to be his day off, he was stuck on a case, or at least to start it, as it was an hour or so drive away.

She wasn't sure what to do when she first got to the house, after standing in the middle of the lobby sort of thing for a few minutes. She sighed, pulling her hair back into a bun, to keep it off her neck, and then headed up stairs, to her room; She'd start there, and then work up the nerve to go into Elizabeth's room, and her parents.

Melody couldn't help but laugh at the familiar pattern she fell into when she started cleaning; Between her and Elizabeth, it had always been her cleaning most of the time. She would often randomly clean her room, because she hated not being able to find something, and Elizabeth would clean her own room _maybe_ once a month.

She plugged her I-Pod into the speakers, and turned it up, making sure her phone was near her, in case Becca, Jenna or Tara decided to text her, or if Uncle Patrick had to call her, or Lisbon, if Jane got into trouble, which he was often enough. Melody was often feeling bad for Lisbon, having to put up with Jane _all_ the time, since he was insulting people, getting punched in the face, and... Well, just plain being annoying.

Humming to herself, Melody sorted a few things into piles. To get rid of, as in sell or give away, to keep, and to throw out. After about five minutes, she got bored of cleaning her own room, it was too neat. She knew where _everything_ was. She knew were her old badminton tee shirts were, where her old tattered copy of _I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You_ was on her over crowded book shelf. She knew were her worn out roller skates were. Everything. Not a single thing out of place. Ever.

Melody took a deep breath, picking her phone up, and un plugging her I-Pod, she'd bring it to Elizabeth's room, so she could clean it. Like she'd done so many times before, when they were younger, and even just weeks ago, on Lizzie's birthday.

Slowly, Melody made her way down the hall, to the off white door that had a sign that Elizabeth herself had made when she was five. She'd been an artist, even at that age. Melody reached her hand out slowly, the way she had that fateful night. The night she'd found them all dead. And opened the door.

It looked so different, and she knew why. Forensics' would have needed to take anything with blood on it, including most of the sheets. What was left of Elizabeth room looked just like normal. Books spread out, paper all over the floor, covering the walls, littering the desk. Melody smiled at the just finished line drawing Elizabeth had shown her before she'd died. It was a picture of the two of them, like a photograph. Melody picked it up gently, as if it would break, and felt a few tears well up in her eyes.

After a few minutes of staring at the picture, she found a folder and started putting most of Elizabeth's artwork in it. Anything she liked, and even some she didn't, anything she could tell what it was. A few were sketches, other full body poses, others head shots. But they were amazing, that's all Melody could ever say about Lizzie's art. Amazing.

She was sorting through the books Elizabeth had stacked up, a few from the library (She'd have to take them back, and pay the late fee. The librarian hated her, and wouldn't care that Elizabeth was dead), when her phone rang, moments before the door bell. Melody groaned as she grabbed her phone, turning her I-Pod off, and headed down stairs. She opened the new text message as soon as she started down stairs.

_Heyy Melody! I have a surprise! Open the door. – Jem Jenna_

Melody's eyes furrowed, confused, as she headed to the door. She could see someone through the window, but couldn't tell who. Maybe it was Joan, the house keeper? Melody would probably get her to help go through things, if she didn't mind. Sighing, Melody opened the door, and gasped at who she saw.

Becca Abbey, Jenna Radcliffe, and Tara Howell stood, grinning, out front. Dressed in sundresses, which she was sure only because it was getting too warm.

"Surprise!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Lalala... Yea... So, I'm nearing the end! Omfg! Lawl, anywho.. Yea, two or three more chapters, plus an epilogue, for a total of 15 or 16 chapters (And a lot of words). So, yea...**

**Chapter Twelve;;;;

* * *

**

To put it simply, Melody was shocked.

To put in more complex terms, Melody was flabbergasted (Whatever that _actually_ means). She'd known they were coming, but _now_? Really? At 9:30 in the morning? On a _Saturday_ of all days? When she was _cleaning the house_?

"Uh, Melody? Mellie? Mel? You okay?" Becca asked, hitting Jenna's shoulder because Jenna had been waving a hand in front of Melody's face. Tara couldn't help but chuckle at her friends.

And even more. Melody was so glad to see them.

It'd been a while since she'd seen them, but, they looked the same as ever.

Tara had pale blonde hair, a little lighter than Melody's, like bleach blonde, but, it was actually her hair colour. It was layered, and she had a side bang. Tara was also a pale kid, always had been, but, on her, it worked. Pale blonde hair, pale blue eyes, and pale skin. She was wearing pink 'golf' pants, and a Beatle's tee shirt, and a pair of plaid flats with zippers.

Jenna on the other hand, was a darker girl. Dark brown hair, that was from a distance looked black. It was always beyond curly, and tied back in a pony tail. And long, it looked like an afro when it was short. Jenna also had green eyes, a pretty green, not the ugly mossy green that had a lot of brown in it. She was taller than Melody and Tara, but shorter than Becca, and her skin was a deep tan, like always.

Speaking of Becca, she looked like she always did. Neither Jenna nor Becca were make-up people, they left that to Tara and Melody. Her hair was a darker brown, but, not as dark as Jenna's, and she'd cut is shorter, for some reason. Her eyes were blue too, but a little darker than Tara's. And tall. Becca was 5 foot 10, taller than pretty much all the girls Melody knew, (Melody only standing at 5 foot 3, Tara at 5 foot 4 and a half, and Jenna at 5 foot 6).

"Happy to see us, huh?" Tara giggled, as being hugged by Melody, all three of them.

"Well, _duh_!" Melody grinned, it faltering a little, just a little, as she ushered them into the house, towards the living room. "I'd offer you something to eat, but I'm not sure what's edible any more. I've been gone for the past two and a half weeks," She told them, chuckling, but making her way to the kitchen, to see what _was_ edible.

Nothing. Nothing left in the house was edible, other than tea, coffee and water.

"I'm just... Going to order a pizza." She announced, lifting her cell phone off the counter, moments before it rang. She jumped, and took a moment before answering it.

"Hello?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, her somewhat bulky SideKick in her hand.

"Hello, Melody. It's me, Jane. We got a new lead on the case, and I'm not sure what time we'll be getting back. We may have to stay in Napa over night, depending, but, I'll call you later, anyway. If you want, you can just stay at your house tonight?" Melody relaxed when she realized it was just Jane calling her, and nodded to herself.

"If you end up staying in Napa I'll probably just stay here, maybe see if Jenna, Becca and Tara can stay... Speaking of which, there here." She told him, and could almost _hear_ his surprised look.

"They are? That's just a little strange, but, they are your friends. Try not to get hurt today," He joked, at least, Melody hoped he was joking, before they said their goodbyes, and Melody went to call the pizza place a few blocks away.

"Who wants what on their pizza?" She asked, coming into the living room, to find only Tara and Becca there. "Where's Jenna?"

"Bathroom," Becca told them, looking at the phone in Melody's hand, grinning, "You _still_ have that?" She asked, amused. Melody shrugged.

"It's a good phone. So, uh, what kind of pizza?" She asked, moving to sit next to Tara on the couch.

"Pepperoni!" Melody heard Jenna call out from up stairs, and glancing up, she could be seen at the top if the stairs. Melody nodded, telling the guy on the phone that they wanted a large pepperoni pizza, and something to drink, Pepsi, and diet Seven-Up, for Becca. She'd go to the store later, maybe, and buy a few things; she was sure she'd be at the house for a while, cleaning stuff out.

A minute after Jenna came down stairs, the door bell rang again, before anyone could ask about who'd called her while she was in the kitchen.

"Who's that?" Tara asked, craning her neck to see out to the door, as Melody got up to answer it.

"Probably Joan, the house keeper," She added, seeing no one would know who Joan was.

Joan Lively was a younger woman, no older than 25 or 26, with black hair, and smokey grey eyes. She was from Korea, and was an excellent cook. The woman made an excellent pizza from scratch.

But, when Melody opened the door, it didn't show Joan, but Annabelle and Hanna.

"Uh, hey, guys. What are you doing here? And how'd you know I was here?" She asked, a confused look on her face, not moving from right in front of the door, not really wanting her friends in the same room as her best friends.

"Oh, we just know you that well. That and we went to your other place, and you weren't there. Or at the mall. And, well, we couldn't go to that CBI place, so, we came here!" Hanna announced, loud enough that Jenna got up off the couch, to find Melody, glaring at Hanna and Annabelle.

"Uh, Mel?" Jenna tilted her head to the side, looking her friend over, raising an eye brow. Melody jumped backwards into the wall, freaked out at how quiet Jenna could be when she wanted.

"Jeez, Jenna." Melody's hand had fluttered to her heart, her breathing had sped up a bit. "You scared me half to death," She muttered the last part, looking over to see her best friend, and then over at her two other friends.

"Melody, you going to introduce us?" Annabelle asked, in a false happy voice. It annoyed Melody. A lot. Annabelle clearly didn't like Jenna, already, and that annoyed her. If they couldn't get along with the girls she'd been friends with since she had been 4 years old and in Pre-k, then, she wasn't really her friend.

"Oh, yea. Jenna Radcliffe, Annabelle Blake and Hanna Greene," She said, pointing each girl out to Jenna, before noting Tara and Becca. "Becca Abbey and Tara Howell. Jenna, Becca and Tara are my _best_ friends." She told Annabelle and Hanna, emphasizing the 'best' part.

"Oh," Was all Annabelle could say, where as Hanna, literally, danced forward and held her hand out to the girls, grinning.

"I, uh, I think you two should leave. We have a lot of catching up to do," She told them; Annabelle was scowling, and Hanna was smiling, but nodded. Melody gave Hanna a look that told her to talk to Annabelle, and find out what was with her.

"Okay, I call you later. Maybe... I've got a date with James," Hanna grinned again, saying goodbye, and dragging Annabelle outside. Melody smiled after her, before closing the door and letting the smile slip from her face.

"Well, Hanna seems nice enough." Becca said after a few minutes of silence, in which they'd all made their way to the living room again.

"Yea, they both are. But, Annabelle like's being the center of attention most of the time." She explained, getting up again to get the door, hoping it was the pizza this time.

It was, thank gosh. Her two frozen waffles weren't really doing anything; That, and it was nearing eleven o'clock, so, lunch time, to her, anyway. She paid the guy, and took the pizza and drinks, taking it to the kitchen.

"Come get it!" She called, laughing as Jenna came running in. Melody dug four plates out, and then found four cups, making sure she still had tea in the cabinet, so she could have a cup later.

"So," Jenna asked, around a bite of pizza, "What's been up lately?" She looked at Melody, who looked at each girl, finishing the bite of food in her mouth.

"Well, not a whole lot," She said, swallowing the pizza. "Prom was yesterday," She told them all about that, and Ben. She couldn't help but smile when she was talking about him, it was... Just a thing. Tara teased her about it, taking until grade ten to get a boyfriend. Melody just grinned and shrugged.

"It would be awesome if you guys could move here," She blurted out, randomly, a few minutes later, afterwards, biting her lip, and looking at them, to see what they'd say.

Jenna nodded, Tara and Becca agreeing.

"It would." Becca said, taking a sip of her diet soda, _Hmmm_ing under her breath. "I wonder if mom and dad would..." She smiled, pulling out her insulin pump, and doing her thing with that. Tara nodded, as if imagining living in Sacramento.

"Hey, you guys want to go swimming?" She asked, standing up and pulling her plate and cup in the dishwasher. Jenna's eyes grew round, and glassy, before jumping up.

"Yes!" She grinned, and then frowned. "But, we don't have swim suits." It was Melody's turn to grin.

"Ah, but I have plenty." She announced, taking their dishes and pulling them in the dishwasher also, and putting things away, before showing them to her ever more emptying room. She had a whole drawer of bathing suits, most a few sizes too big, which was good in the girls case, since Melody was smaller than them.

Each girl picked out a different suit, and took turns changing.

Melody's a simple bikini; Light blue, with the strap tying around her neck. And a pair of light blue swim shorts.

Jenna's was a white rather frilly bikini top, and a purple bottom.

Tara's looked like a comic book, and it was matching.

And Becca's... Becca's was a one piece, and was a leopard print.

Melody grabbed four towels from her bathroom, and then gave one to each girl, and then raced out to the pool, dropping her towel before running onto the diving board, and jumping in, and coming back up, grinning.

A few hours later, a dripping wet Melody emerged from the pool, still smiling, but, starting to tire out.

"Hey, you want to help me go through... Lizzie's stuff?" She asked, a pause before saying Lizzie's name. They all nod, knowing how hard it would be for Melody to do it alone.

They quickly dry off and change, Melody ending back up in her dress, but with a pair of shorts on under.

Melody showed them to Elizabeth's room, and told them what she wanted to do.

"Uh, garbage in the garbage bag, and I guess... Show me what else?" Melody hadn't had a clue what to tell them what to do, but, she just wanted to get everything done and over with.


	13. Chapter 13

**Oh. My. Goshness**_**!**_** I am taking **_**forever**_** to finish this, and I had to re-write what I had of this chapter, cause I didn't like it, :p And yea... So, I'm finishing it now! For both everyone who's been reading and reviewing, and my English teacher Mrs. Rand :D Ya know, and myself...**

**Chapter Thirteen;;;;**

Melody closed her locker door, it was the last day of exams, and there was only one more day of school left. Finally. She'd been waiting for the first day of summer break since her friends had shown up nearly a week ago. They'd all taken their exams and tests early, and flown out with Becca's parents, to see her, and see how she was doing. They had even made plans for the summer. July, Melody was going to go back to Texas with them, and they'd all stay in the littler house Tara's parents owned, by themselves for a while, go on a little road trip, concerts, whatever. Melody was going to go see her Grandma while she was there too.

August was going to be a different story. Bob and Sheryl had some things to do in Sacramento for a week in August, and the girls had convinced them to let Becca, Tara and Jenna stay with Melody in her house for the summer. Everyone liked it, even Jane. Melody was sure it was going to be a long summer, but, she was also sure she'd love it. So, it was a win-win situation; long, she'd have lots of time with her friends, and fun, she'd very clearly love it.

Melody pulled her bag up on her shoulders as she headed outside to wait for her uncle to come pick her up; For the time being, she was still staying with Jane, but was going over to the house all the time, cleaning and repainting stuff. She, along with Jenna and Tara and Becca, had repainted Elizabeth's room (Emerald green, like her eyes), and Jesse and Anne's room (Rose Red, the colour of the rose's Anne always had), and the guest room (Baby blue, the colour of Jesse's first car). Melody had been very picky on the colours.

"Hey Melody," Hanna smiled at her friend, walking beside her. If Melody had looked past Hanna she would have noticed Annabelle staring at her, or, rather glaring. They'd gone from friends to enemies the second Annabelle had met Jenna, Tara and Becca. Annabelle had assumed that _she_ was Melody's best friend, and that _she_ could just talk to her whenever she wanted.

"Hi Hanna," Melody smiled, "Glad exams are over?" Hanna's eyes grew wide, and she started to nod.

"Oh my gosh, yes! I hate exams, like, _soo_ much! I get them and all, and don't mind too much, but, gosh, Math and Science exams are hard!" Melody laughed, looking around the school grounds, for any of her other friends; Hiromi, Taylor, Benjamin, any one of them.

"Who ya looking for?" Hanna raised an eyebrow at Melody, smirking.

"Hiromi, Taylor, Ben, you know, our friends," Melody said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Hanna giggled, pulling Melody over to sit on a bench, to wait.

"Romi and Tay are on a plane to Paris for the summer together, and you _boyfriend_ Ben is on his way to New York for two weeks." Hanna laughed at the way Melody wrinkled her nose when Hanna called Benjamin Melody's boyfriend (Which she claimed he wasn't).

"Right... Forgot about that," Melody admitted, shrugging, as the familiar blue Citroën pulled up. "See ya Hann," She waved, leaving her friend, and climbing into Jane car.

"Good afternoon, Melody," Came a rather harsh voice from the back of the car a few seconds after they started moving. She quickly turned around, terrified at what she saw. A man. He had lank brown hair, and was wearing all black, and a white Halloween mask, the kind of one that's supposed to make you look scary, and they have built in voice modifiers that make you sound sick and raspy.

Melody looked from the man, to her uncle, who was gripping the steering wheel rather tightly, and looked like he was trying very hard not to kill the man in the back of his car. A man Melody now knew who he was.

Red John.

The serial killer who had destroyed all of her family, killed almost all of them, leaving only two alive.

She was tempted to call 911 right then and there, turn the volume down so he couldn't hear it, so, they would be safe in a few minutes. But, Red John was smarter than that, he'd figure it out. Melody knew that, unfortunately.

"How lovely it is to see family reunited at last," Came the voice that was becoming more sickening by the nano second, "you know, you should really be thanking me for that,"

"Oh, yes, thank you for murdering my entire family, and an aunt and cousin I didn't know I had." Melody wanted so badly to say, but, like Red John, she was smart. That was the _onl_y thing they had in common, they were smart. In fact, all three people in the car were, but, two more than the other.

"Turn off here, Mister Jane." The killer ordered, and while he was distracted looking at a map, Melody managed to pull her phone out, turning the volume off, and dialling, well, not 911, what good could they do right now? Well, since they were out, the only other number she trusted right now.

She put the phone back in her pocket, the mouthpiece sticking out of it as the top had been doing seconds before. She knew that the 911 could track a phone call, so, the CBI had to be able to do that. They could finally get their serial killer put away, behind bars, in a straight jacket, dead. It didn't really matter to Melody, as long as she never had to think about him again.

_Why us_? Melody wondered now, trying to make someone suffer? That shouldn't be part of any human nature, but, people were, well, people. Melody would never understand them. Never.

"Stop the car," The man ordered again, and Melody could _hear_ the anger and craze in his voice, but, more importantly, she hoped Lisbon could hear it.

"Where are we?" Melody dared to ask, almost bracing herself for being told to shut up, or being hit or something, other than what happened. She saw in the rear view mirror that he sat up straighter, and pushed the mask onto his face again, it seemed to be slipping off his face.

"We, Miss. Boone," He started, getting out of the car, and gesturing for the other two to do the same, "Are in an abandoned car lot. Where no one will find you," He sounded pleased about the last part, and Melody almost laughed. He sounded like a child who had gotten a good grade on his report card, and was going to be rewarded.

"Uh, huh, got that part," She muttered, quietly, sure no one could hear her, "Why are we hear, is more of the question. I'm not stupid, you've never kidnapped, or forced your victims to go anywhere else. They've been killed in their home's most of the time." She was sure she saw the mask on his face light up in delight. Why? Because she knew about his crimes? Wouldn't most people do research if their family had been killed by a serial killer who had yet to be apprehended.

"Ah, that would be for me to know and you to find out, but, alas, you probably won't live _that_ long, so, I suppose I should spare you the trouble trying to figure it out." He told them, drawing a hunting knife, and pointing it, telling them to move, "And I never said you were stupid,"

"Meh," Melody made a face as soon as he was looking away. At least she could try to joke around in the situation, which, she had to admit to herself, was at least building her courage.

Courage for what, you might ask. Well, since both people that seem to have been taken hostage have had their family (Which is one family) killed by the man standing there, at least one can't help but try to get them out of it alive, and in the moment, it seemed that person would be the five foot four, 110 pound, blue eyed, blonde haired grade ten student, who'd been shot weeks before. Jane seemed like he was just trying to get Melody out alive, where as she was trying to get them both out alive.

"I have brought you out here because of two reasons. First, no one would be able to hear you scream, should you choose to," Melody mentally smirked at that. No one to hear you scream my butt. "And second, it would be better for your friends to suffer trying to find you, wouldn't it be? It would be nice for them to find you, play hide and seek, but, they are horrible seekers, as, wouldn't you think they'd have found me by now if not?"

Melody almost scoffed, but instead held back a grin. The black non-descript car she hadn't been too fond of was starting to be a good thing to see now.

"Red John, drop the weapon!" Came a familiar voice, one Melody was very glad to hear. "Drop the knife and turn around, hands in the air." Red John seemed to be shocked, by the way the knife in his hand twitched, but, he did as he was told, not dropping the knife of course.

Then a few things happened at once, Red John tried to grab Melody who in turn had been expecting it and grabbed at his hand, the one that held the knife, wrenching it from his grip, which wasn't very tight. She threw it far enough away, but, Red John had a backup plan. He had another knife! The idiot had _another_ knife. At this time, Melody was really freaking out, as Red John was heading for Jane.

Her eyes grew wide, and then heard a shot, which didn't come from where she was going to expect it to come from, where Lisbon, Cho and Rigsby were standing. She turned to see Van Pelt holding her gun up, her arm shaking a bit, and Red John collapsing.

_It's over._ _It's finally over._ Was the thought that passed over several people's minds, including Jane's, who very clearly had wanted to kill the man himself, although was rather glad it had been Van Pelt who'd done it, since, well, she couldn't get arrested for it. He'd had a knife to Jane, and had the intent to kill.

* * *

"And that's what happened?" Jenna asked, "Truthfully and not leaving anything out?" Melody couldn't help but chuckle, and then nodded, sitting on her bed in her house.

"That's what happened, why would I leave anything out. Uncle Patrick picked me up, Red John was in the car. When he was distracted, I called Lisbon, and turned my sound down, putting my phone back in my pocket. I managed to stall him until the team got there, and Red John went at me, and I managed to grab his knife, and then he went at Uncle Patrick, and Grace shot him in the back." She held up her right hand, "Scouts honour,"

Tara rolled her eyes, "You were never a scout,"

"Ha, that's a lie, I was a girl scout for about ten minutes..." Melody admitted, jokingly, standing up to get a few of her other things she was putting in the suitcase she was taking to Texas. She sighed, having to sit on her suitcase to close it.

"Yea, ten minutes, if that." Becca laughed, "Jenna was a scout, not you. Which would also explain why she was obsessing over the fire pit during our last camping trip," Jenna made a face, before going back to nibble on the rather large chocolate chip cookie she was eating.

"Ha ha! Got it," She grinned, finally having gotten her suitcase shut.

"Ooh, Jenna, turn that up!" Tara giggled, clearly having heard a song on the radio she liked, and there were a lot of songs she liked. Melody chuckled, watching Tara bounce up and down on the bed, her head moving from side to side as she mouthed the words to the song.

"Sounds like you," Becca noted.

_Nobody likes you when you're 23__  
__I'm still more amused by TV shows__  
__What the hell is ADD?__  
__My friends say I should act my age__  
__What's my age again?  
What's my age again?_


	14. Chapter 14

**This thing is driving me mad ! It's what's keeping me from getting done, but, since I finally finished it, the epilogue will be up within the next two days, since it's already finished.**

**Chapter Fourteen**;;;

Someone poked Melody in the shoulder. Always a lovely way to wake up, right? Well, considering, Melody hadn't actually been sleeping, I'm not really sure it counts, but, whatever. She turned over on the mattress she was sleeping on, to face Jenna. Jenna had her hair in her normal pony tail, looking perky, even at... four thirty am (Melody checked the clock out of the corner of her eye).

"Hey, Jenn, what's up?" Melody asked, stifling a yawn, and sitting up, running a hand through her hair, knowing she probably looked horrible at the moment, but, it wasn't like Jenna, Becca or Tara cared, and the fact that it was still dark out.

"Nothing, I just can't sleep. I kinda figured you couldn't either, considering that you were playing with the blanket." Jenna smiled, a tired half smile. Melody nodded, smiling a little herself. She was having a hard time sleeping lately.

They'd been back in Texas for a week; The first two nights she'd been so exhausted she'd fallen asleep not long after Becca, who was always the first asleep. After that, she'd been getting less and less sleep, the whole moving around thing coming back. She'd had a really hard time settling into Sacramento for a while, and her mother had been worried about her, since she wasn't getting much sleep, Melody was convinced it was just hormones' or something, but of course, Anne was sure it was either insomnia or something worse.

"Yeah, it's just been so long since I've been back, and it feels like even longer after... Well, everything." Melody confessed. Although some good things had come out of it, Melody still wished that this hadn't happened, but, she had been convinced that was selfish of her for the longest time, but, it wasn't, not really. But, without it happening, she wouldn't have met Jane, Lisbon, Van Pelt, or any of them, and Mr. Whittman would probably still be alive, and not have gotten caught, and besides that, Melody was sure her uncle and Teresa were getting closer, and not in the way most people would think, because it was most defiantly not the boss-consultant type of relationship, and even Melody could see it.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Jenna asked, leaning forward, a look of interest, and sheer humour on her face, Melody couldn't help but laugh of her friends face.

"Nothing. Okay, okay, jeez. I was thinking about Uncle Patrick, and how things are going to be really different after this summer." Jenna smiled happily, doing the thing were she smiled and sat up straighter, but a moment later she was grabbing her phone, and texting someone quickly.

"Ry?" Melody asked, glad to have something to turn the conversation away from herself. Jenna nodded, looking somewhat upset; Ryan James had been Jenna's boyfriend for the past few years, they'd been good friends since the fourth grade, one of her best friends, but, as it seemed, they were in a fight.

"Yeah, he's being... All, annoying like. Remember when we were 10, like that, except worse. A lot worse, since he is a teen aged boy now" Jenna sighed, and lay back against the couch, which was behind the mattress she herself slept on at sleepovers, where Becca slept.

"Well, he _is_ a guy," Melody pointed out, laughing quietly, brushing a stray curl out of her face, "But, if he loves you, he'll realize he's acting like an idiot, and fix it." She told Jenna, smiling. "And you know it, Jenn," Jenna nodded, knowing Melody was probably right, not that she would actually admit it out loud.

"Yeah. Yeah, I suppose so," Melody smirked, and yawned. So the trying-to-not-be-tired thing really wasn't working. Oh well, she'd be fully awake sooner or later, that, or she'd fall asleep, one or the two.

"Tired huh?" Jenna asked, yawning herself, then laughing. "'Cause I know I am," Melody nodded, lying down a few seconds after Jenna, looking up at the ceiling. She could hear her other three friends breathing, Jenna having fallen asleep already. And she herself was out like a light minutes later.

* * *

Melody woke up a few hours later, around 7, to find Jenna and Tara still asleep, but Becca wasn't. Becca was probably upstairs, getting breakfast or checking her blood sugars, or both. She sat up, still under her warm blanket, and stretched. She could hear Becca's insulin pump singing from where she sat; She'd found that amusing, Becca's insulin pump singing, but, at least it wasn't boring like the other one's Bex had had before it.

She got out of her bed, and headed up stairs; she had to go to the wash room anyway. She saw Becca sitting at the kitchen table, looking at the newspaper, and sipping at a glass of red cherry Kool-Aid.

"Mornin' Bexs." She smiled in her friends direction, before sitting down across the table from her.

"Tara and Jenn still asleep?" Becca asked, without looking up from the newspaper. Melody nodded. Since Becca was always the first asleep, she was usually the first up, then Jenna or Melody, and sometimes Tara.

"Jenna and I didn't get to sleep until way after you and Tara, like... Four or five this morning," Melody yawned. She was so going to end up taking a nap later on that day; She was going to need it.

"You want to go swimming later?" Becca asked, as Melody stood up, to put a frozen waffle into the toaster.

"I want to!" Jenna called into the kitchen, as she walked by towards the washroom. "Be right back, and Tara's awake." Becca smiled and laughed, folding the newspaper up and setting it in the middle of the table. A few moments later Jenna walked back in, heading straight for the fridge, and grabbed a yogurt to eat for the time being, very closely followed by Tara, who yawned and went to sit down at the table.

"So, what's up for us today, my good friends," She said, smiling. Jenna raised an eye brow, and Tara shrugged. "What, I just woke up. Meh,"

"Uh huh," Melody jumped when the waffle (Slightly burned) popped out of the toaster. Grabbing it, she went over to sit at the table. "We are going to go swimming later, and then we should go shopping. Since we have yet to do that. We haven't had a shopping trip in _soo_ long."

Tara grinned; If there was one thing she liked other than, well, her norm, it was shopping. And although her wardrobe didn't consist of a lot of different things, other than jeans, tee shirts and some sweaters, and a few random skirts, she did love shopping.

"I take it everybody likes the plan?" Becca asked, smirking. "I'm going to go to the washroom, and then get dressed. You all can finish up, and I suppose get dressed too. Swimming first though. I really want to go swimming," Jenna laughed, rinsing the yogurt container out, and putting the spoon in the dish washer.

Melody nodded, "Will do," She said through a mouthful of waffle, although it came out wrong, and was all muffled and 'waffled' if I may.

A good twenty minutes later, with Becca already in the pool, Jenna ran out and jumped in, Tara and Melody following, laughing, but just sitting at the edge for a minute.

"Jenna!" Becca screamed, falling off of the floaty she was on into the pool. "I am going to _kill_ you!" She smiled, grabbing one of Jenna's feet and pulling her back into the pool. Melody looked over at Tara, before pulling her feet out of the pool, and sitting camp fire style, watching the other two 'fight'.

Tara on the other hand, grinned madly, and stood up, walking to the diving board. She started bouncing on the diving board a little, before yelling "Canon ball!" and jumping in. Jenna shrieked, her eyes wide as she was slashed, even Melody was a little wet now.

Trying not to laugh, Melody went to sit on the diving board, kicking her feet back and forth in the water, splashing the other girls.

"Okay, okay! Enough already." Becca finally called. "It's in my eye, it's in my eye!" Jenna laughed, swimming over to the edge of the pool, and grabbing a blown up beach ball.

"Wanna play?" Jenna asked. Melody nodded, slipping off the edge of the diving board, and catching the ball when Jenna threw it to her.

After throwing it around awhile, Jenna threw it over the edge of the fence around the pool.

"I'm not getting it!" They all said at once.

It was going to be a long, but amazing, summer.


	15. Epilouge

**I'm all done now! Yayz! Thanks to everyone who's read my story, and who've waited for me to finish, no thanks to my writers block on this story. ~Kelsey**

**Epilogue;;;**

_Nobody likes you when your twenty three, and are still more amused by TV shows. What the hell is ADD? My friends say I should act my age, what's my age again? What's my age again?_

The blonde groaned, looking blindly for her cell phone. Why hadn't she just put it on vibrate. Finding it, she flipped it open, and hit talk, not bothering to look at the caller ID. There were only three people that would call her at 5 am; Teresa Lisbon, Aunt Tessa, and her boss, Benjamin Miles, her good friend, and the consultant on her team, and Charlott Andrews, the rookie, and one of her best friends, one of her team members.

Speaking of her team, they should be introduced, right?

First, the one that's been there as long as she can remember, Benjamin Miles. They'd dated on and off during high school, and currently were, but, no one would guess unless they knew, they just acted like good friends. He's been a consultant on her team, well, since it was _her_ team.

Second, James Cannel. He was on the team before it became her team. He wasn't crazy about her being on his team for a while, since they were one of the best teams , like, ever, right behind Agent Teresa Lisbon's old team; Wayne Rigsby, Kimball Cho, Grace Van Pelt (Now Grace Rigsby,), herself and Patrick Jane. But, Jamie warmed up to her, realizing that she was one of the best, like him.

Third and fourth, Blaze Johnston, and Charlott Andrews. Blaze was an arson specialist, as if you couldn't guess that one. And Charlott, the rookie, but, she was a natural, in simple terms. Blaze and her hadn't gotten along at all at first, because she'd just gotten the job of being the boss, and Blaze was thrown onto the team, and she was having a hard enough time coping with being a boss, plus, Jenna was pregnant, and Becca had just had Alyson Danielle Greene. It was a confusing time.

"Jane Boone," She answered the phone, using the name she'd been since she was 19 (She'd changed it, so she wouldn't forget either family she had once had).

"Hey Boss, we've got a case," Those four words had her up and out of her bed in moments, and heading to the closet to dig out clothes. Charlott gave her the address, and said good bye.

"Oh, and Melody, Ben's still at the office, and his phone's off." She sighed, Benjamin was like her uncle. He would stay at the office all night, and sleep on the couch in the bullpen, only difference, Ben wasn't there almost every night, just some, and Ben's couch wasn't very comfortable, and he'd switch between the one in the bullpen, and the one in her office, which she didn't mind. Much.

"Kay, thanks Charlott, I'll pick him up." She thanked the younger blonde, and hung up, leaning against the wall, sighing. She was going to make sure he didn't start staying at the HQ more often, even if it meant him moving in with her. She wasn't going to have him sleeping where he worked all day, well, sort of worked. He never actually did any paperwork, or anything, but, at least he helped.

Melody quickly showered, and blow dried her hair, before throwing it up into a messy bun and getting dressed.

Her outfit was what it normally was these days, a tee shirt under a thinner sweater, a pair of jeans (Or dress pants if she was in court), a pair of boots, without heels in the winter, and a hat, a beanie most of the time. She quickly did her makeup, just putting eye shadow, lipstick, a little eye liner and blush on. She pulled her boots on, and grabbed her purse, and then her coat and keys. Going into the kitchen, she grabbed a piece of paper, and scribbled a note to Jenna, Ryan and Raylean.

_Jenn, Ry and Ray Ray, I'm going into work early, don't know when I'll be back, call you at lunch_. _Love Melody_.

Melody walked out the door, locking it behind her again, and heading to her old 2011 Ford Mustang GT, which was a light baby blue.

On the way to the crime scene, Melody stopped to grab a coffee, and a muffin to eat on the way. She stopped at the HQ, the guard let her in, and she headed up to the SCU floor, the seventh. Playing with the pink watch she wore on the way up, she wondered why Benjamin had stayed at the office that night.

When the elevator stopped on her floor, she swiftly walked into the bullpen, to find Benjamin sitting on the couch, playing with a black velvet box.

"Uh, hey, Ben," Benjamin looked up, looking shocked, and shoved the box in his pocket. "We've got a case in Davis." She tacked on, looking amused, and leaning against the wall.

"Uh, hey, Mel," Benjamin smiled nervously at her, standing up. Melody was wondering what was with him, although Ben was sure she knew, after she'd seen the box. She really had no idea, it was almost sad.

"What was with the box?" She inquired, taking a few steps forward, walking towards him.

"It's, uh. Well, it's this." Benjamin stumbled over the words, before taking the box out of his pocket, and getting down on one knee. He opened the box and showed it to Melody. Sitting in the center was a diamond ring. Silver, with one single diamond in the center.

"Oh my gosh." Was pretty much all Melody could say. Benjamin smiled, she was speechless, and that was pretty much all he'd wanted (That and a certain three letter word).

"Mellie, I've know you since you were fifteen, at one of the worst times of your life, and still you were bright and bubbly, and even said yes to going to prom with me, and you'd just been shot, and only met me once. I loved you for that, and the rose I gave you at prom even said so." He smiled, and Melody faintly remembered the rose. Yellow, with red tips. Friendship turning into love. She stood shocked, and Ben took her hand, and slipped the ring on. "Will you marry me, Mellie?"

Now, Melody wasn't one to get teary eyed at happy endings, but, sure enough, she was starting to get teary. She nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment.

"Yes." She managed to get out. "I will marry you Benjamin," She smiled, and she could almost imagine the look on her aunt and uncle's face's when they found out. The two most unlikely people, just like Teresa and Patrick (But, of course, they now had a 13 year old daughter named Isabelle Charlotte Jane).

Benjamin grinned, standing up, Melody's hand in his.

"Now, let's go solve a murder."


End file.
